19/05/2015
“Switch off before you drive off” – that is the message being given by North Wales Police’ Roads Policing Unit as they launch a two-week distraction campaign.
Officers from the specialist unit are teaming up with colleagues from across the force to launch a campaign targeting people who use their mobile phones whilst driving.
As well as imposing penalties on drivers who are caught, dedicated officers will also use the campaign as an opportunity to educate motorists of the dangers of distraction driving.
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19/05/2015
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), the country’s leading family safety charity, has responded to the Police Federation’s call for a lower drink-drive limit.
Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at RoSPA, said: “One of RoSPA’s long-standing campaigns is for the drink-drive limit to be lowered from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg across the whole of the UK, so we are pleased to see the Police Federation taking up this cause.
“Despite decades of drink-drive education and enforcement, over 75,000 people are still caught drink driving every year in England and Wales[1], and between 4 and 5 people die in drink-drive accidents every week.
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06/03/2015
North Wales Police has made their first arrest under new drug driving legislation that came into force this week. At 8pm last night (Thursday March 5) police were called to a damage only road traffic collision on Newry Beach in Holyhead. Officers attended and tested the 19-year-old driver using the new drug-testing equipment.
He was then arrested on suspicion of drug driving and taken to police custody for further tests. He has since been released on police bail pending further enquiries. The new legislation came into force on Monday March 4 and now sets legal limits for how much of a substance – both illegal drugs and prescription medications motorists can have in their system whilst driving.
A new device, which has also been approved, now allows officers to test at the roadside using a swab from inside the driver’s mouth, to see if a motorist has taken cannabis or cocaine.
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02/03/2015
From today (2 March 2015) the drug driving law has changed to make it easier for the police to catch and convict drug drivers. It is now an offence to drive with certain drugs above a specified level in your blood - just as it is with drink driving. Sixteen legal and illegal drugs are covered by the law, including cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine.
The limits for all illegal drugs are extremely low – taking even a very small amount of an illegal drug could put you over the limit.
The new offence will work alongside the existing offence of driving whilst impaired through drink or drugs.
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04/02/2015
Senior drivers in Powys still have the opportunity to build their driving confidence further by taking part in a free assessment.
‘Drive On’ is a free assessment drive being offered by the council’s Road Safety Unit for people aged 55 and over or for those who need some support with building confidence in their driving, thanks to funding from the Welsh Government.
As part of the ‘Drive On’ assessment, participants can choose a Driving Instructor from a list supplied to them and telephone them to make a booking. They will meet the Instructor and drive for one hour – either in their car or the Instructors. During this confidential assessment, any safety issues will be discussed so that they can be improved upon.
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04/02/2015
On Monday 26th January pupils from Penllwyn Primary School were awarded certificates by Cllr David Carter, Mayor of Caerphilly for their efforts in creating artwork to slow drivers down.
The pupils were invited to Ty Penallta to showcase their posters to the Mayor, who thoroughly enjoyed the visit: “It is wonderful to see the brilliant artwork of pupils from Penllwyn Primary School. I hope that these posters will make drivers think of their speed when using the roads surrounding this school, as well as others”.
This follows the problem identified by Penllwyn Primary of speeding traffic, so in order to combat this problem they requested a 20MPH zone around their school.
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19/01/2015
New average 50mph speed enforcement cameras on the M4 through Port Talbot have gone live.
The four cameras were installed in October on a two-mile stretch and during a trial period hundreds of motorists a day were found to be ignoring the speed limit. Enforcement action will come into force from today.
It will be the first permanent installation to go into operation on a Welsh section of the motorway.
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