DRIVERS ASKED TO SLOW DOWN AS CLOCKS GO BACK

As the clocks go back and the nights get darker, Mid & South Wales Safety Camera Partnership is reminding motorists to watch their speeds, particularly in built up areas.

Pedestrians are more at risk during dark winter months when visibility is poorer for motorists. Each year, road casualty rates rise with the arrival of darker evenings and worsening weather conditions – in 2004, pedestrian deaths in the UK rose from 56 in October to 76 in November.

Driving just a little over the speed limit puts lives at risk. At 35mph, a motorist is twice as likely to kill someone as driving at 30mph yet more than half (53 per cent) of drivers break the 30mph speed limit*.

To avoid confusion over speed limits, motorists should always assume that a road with street lights has a 30mph limit unless there are signs to indicate otherwise.

“The darker evenings put more people at risk on our roads, which is why we are appealing to all motorists to pay attention to their speeds. It’s not just those behind the wheel but pedestrians are particularly vulnerable during winter evenings, especially children and the elderly,” said Phil Davies, manager of Mid & South Wales Safety Camera Partnership.

“Speed limits are a maximum not a target and motorists should use common sense when out and about. Driving too fast doesn’t necessarily mean going over the limit but driving at a speed that’s not safe for the road conditions. Driving at 30mph through a busy built up area with parked cars at dusk for example can be too fast. Every motorist can make a difference just by slowing down a few miles per hour and observing speed limits.”