Road Safety Week 2021 is here! This week we’re supporting Brake’s Road Safety Week, celebrating the heroic work of road safety professionals, and sharing tips and resources to help you stay safer on the road.
Staying visible:
Whether you’re walking, cycling, or even riding a Voi e-scooter make sure you’re visible to drivers once the sun goes down.
For e-scooters and bikes:
- Wear reflective gear and a helmet light
- Choose well-lit areas for your route
For pedestrians:
- Wear white or light colours
- Use extra caution when crossing
- Bright coloured coats make all the difference in keeping children visible to drivers
Teaching your children road safety:
THINK! offer many resources on their website, including videos and games, to help your child learn all about road safety.
Visit their website here: https://www.think.gov.uk/education-resources/
Be phone smart:
It may seem obvious that you shouldn’t use a phone whilst driving – but did you know it is illegal to use your phone even when queueing in traffic?
If you need to use your phone, find a safe place to pull over and stop.
For more information: https://www.brake.org.uk/get-involved/take-action/mybrake/knowledge-centre/mobile-phone-use
Driving in rain or snow:
As winter approaches, knowing how to drive safely in the rain and snow is important.
- Be prepared – make sure your tires are in good condition before you start your journey
- Give yourself more time to reach your destination, so you don’t feel like you need to speed up to get somewhere on time
- Turn on your headlights even if its daytime because visibility is significantly reduced in rain – headlights allow you to see better and help others see you too!
- Slow down – by slowing down while driving you’ll have enough time to react to sudden stops, debris, and standing water
- Keeping your speed low will help you to avoid hydroplaning
- Give yourself as much distance as you can between you and the car ahead of you -you may need twice as much stopping distance
- In snow, try to drive in the tire tracks of the car in front of you
Keeping cyclists safe:
Cycling is a great way to explore your local area and stay active.
For cyclists:
- Ride decisively
- Look and signal to show drivers where you plan to go
- Avoid riding up the inside of vehicles, as you may not be seen
- Always use lights after dark or when visibility is poor
- Always wear high-visibility reflective clothing
- Always wear a correctly fitted helmet
For drivers:
- Use your indicators to signal intentions and look out for cyclist’s signals
- Give cyclists plenty of space when overtaking them
- Always check for cyclists when opening your car door, pulling out at a junction, or when doing a manoeuvre
E-scooters:
Did you know, if you buy an e-scooter you are not allowed to ride it on public roads or pavements? Voi e-scooters have an exemption and are legal for use on the road.
Why is this? E-scooters are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles, so they are treated as motor vehicles and subject to the same legal requirements, such as: MOT, licensing, tax and insurance.
Some e-scooters have exceptions to this as part of the government trial, but this does not extend to any personal e-scooters.
How to keep safe on a Voi e-scooter:
- If you’re a new rider, you can activate Beginner’s Mode in the Voi app
- Never ride e-scooters while intoxicated
- Only have one person riding the e-scooter at a time. More than one rider will affect your balance and the functionality of the breaks
- Make sure to wear a helmet
- Never text or answer calls whilst riding an e-scooter
- Always go slowly in winter, especially if the roads are slippery or icy
For more information: https://www.voiscooters.com/ride-safe/
You can learn more about Road Safety Week here: https://www.brake.org.uk/road-safety-week/take-part