Successful Partnership Working to Raise Road Safety Awareness in the Rhondda
Once again South Wales Fire & Rescue Service has been working in partnership with South Wales Police and Rhondda Cynon Taf's Road Safety Unit for a 3 day event which took place on 27-29th June at Tonypandy Fire Station. It was aimed at raising awareness of road safety issues as well as reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on roads throughout Rhondda Cynon Taf.
It proved to be another great success with more than 250 children and adults attending from SS Gabriel & Raphael R.C. Primary, Pontrhondda Primary, Llwynypia Primary, Ysgol Gyfun Cymmer, ITEC College and the Probation service, who were all educated on how to stay safe on or near the road.
There were several activity stations including police cars and motorbikes, beer goggles, alcohol awareness, a presentation on the 'Fatal 5', Virtual Reality (VR) glasses and the importance of child car seats. The organiser of the event, Station Commander John Jenkins, also arranged for fire officers to replicate a road traffic collision scene where they utilized their equipment to cut out a driver/passenger from a vehicle. This gave every person an insight into the consequences of the 'Fatal 5'. The 'Fatal 5' are inappropriate speed, drink/drug driving, careless driving, failure to wear seatbelt and using a mobile phone whilst driving.
During this event, two seatbelt operations were carried out by South Wales Police, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and RCT's Road Safety team which caught 40 drivers and passengers not wearing their seatbelts. They were given the option of watching a presentation delivered by the fire service or having a £100 fine. Four drivers were also caught with a handheld mobile phone and the penalty for this was 6 points and a £200 fine.