Travel safe this Christmas

Dear Residents,

With Christmas right around the corner, we would like to encourage all our residents to remember the danger of drink driving and the importance of winter road safety. We have some advice for you to keep in mind...

While you’re out enjoying festivities, you may have the temptation to risk a drink or two, and then get behind the wheel. However, our best and safest advice to you this Christmas, and all throughout the year, is to avoid alcohol completely if you have to drive. It is not just yourself you are putting in danger, but other people on the road too. Some important points to remember:

Drinking alcohol slows down your reactions and impairs judgement, making your driving unsafe and putting you, and others, at greater risk of a collision.
If you are out drinking, there could still be enough alcohol in your system the next morning to mean you’re over the limit, and not safe to drive. 
If driving or attempting to drive while above the legal limit or unfit through drink you may get: 6 months’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, a driving ban for at least 1 year (3 years if convicted twice in 10 years).
It’s impossible to work out how many units of alcohol will put you over the limit. That’s because it varies from person to person, depending on your weight, age, sex and metabolism, the type and amount of alcohol you’re drinking, what you’ve eaten recently, your stress levels at the time.
 

The same advice is given to other road users; cyclists and motorcyclists. Risking an alcoholic drink and then riding home, not only puts yourself in danger, it’s a danger for other road users too.

We understand how busy this time of year is, and you may be in a rush to get from one destination to another. However, we would like to remind residents you must always be driving at an appropriate and legal speed. Not just for your own safety, but those in the car with you and other road users who may fall victim to a collision caused by speeding. Here’s some advice we can offer you to follow:

Plan your journey and allow plenty of time to reach your destination.
Drive at an appropriate speed for the road and the weather conditions.
Keep a two second distance from the vehicle in front.
Make sure you know the speed limits for the road and restrictions for your vehicle.
With other road users in mind, and the darker nights and winter weather its more important than ever for everyone to think about their presence on the roads and the impact they have. Cyclists, pedestrians, and horse riders should remember to think about how visible they are to other road users. It is a legal requirement for cyclists to have both front and rear lights, perhaps a perfect stocking filler present for someone you know who rides a bike and may not have the appropriate lights! Motorists should take extra care at junctions and when over taking cyclists or horse riders, keeping your speed down and leaving plenty of room (at least 1.5 metres overtaking a cyclist and 2 metres for a horse).

Your Safer Neighbourhood Team, and the whole of West Mercia Police wishes you a happy and safe Christmas!