Internally

7.5.1 Road safety education campaigns are most effective when combined with their engineering and enforcement counterparts.

The project engineer responsible for road layout changes should keep their Road Safety Officer (RSO) colleagues informed - preferably involving an appropriately trained and skilled RSO at the design and road safety audit stages. Police and RSO liaison and cooperation is also desirable and productive. A publicity campaign can explain engineering changes to a road layout and the reasons for the changes, and can be backed up by enforcement when necessary. It is recommended that education and publicity budgets should be included in scheme costs.

Across borders

7.5.2 If there is a specific problem within the borders of the authority yet not peculiar to any one site or group of sites, then a local campaign, carefully targeted to address the root cause of the problem, is worth serious consideration. It may be that liaison with neighbouring authorities and police forces will show that there is a shared problem which no individual body can overcome in isolation. If this is the case co-operation with the neighbouring authorities is cost effective and allows publicity at the home location of riders as well as at the risk location. Riders often travel some distance from their homes to favoured riding areas but are most likely to be reached by campaign elements if they are offered conveniently close to their homes.

Across a region

7.5.3 At a regional level, it is recommended that specific groups most at risk be targeted, for example sports bike riders or urban commuters. Again, this requires an analysis of the factors that lead to accidents and the creation of measures to address them. A combination of educational and psychological approaches designed to effect attitude and behavioural change, and provision of appropriate needs-based training, is probably the best way forward, together with a consistent and supportive enforcement approach.

Nationally

7.5.4 On a national level, central and local government have forged excellent links with the motorcycle manufacturers’ and retailers’ associations and the main rider and training groups to share knowledge and coordinate activities, for example linking with the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) DVD titled A Street, A Track, An Open Road. This takes an “edutainment” approach to rider safety and is being issued with all new machine purchases.

The Local Authority Road Safety Officers Association (LARSOA) is the main ‘clearing house’ for local authority educational and publicity measures and it is recommended that the appropriate LARSOA adviser be consulted before initiating any new measures.

Obviously, collaboration between all interested parties is essential to attain cohesive and effective approaches, while avoiding duplication.

The LARSOA web site includes examples of previous schemes.
www.larsoa.org.uk