Project Description
The third of Project EDWARD’s speed management webinars took place on Wednesday 17 September, with a focus on rural roads, the most dangerous routes on the network, accounting for 70% more fatalities than urban roads and around four times the likelihood of death per collision. Rural roads carry many different road-user types: fast-moving cars, large agricultural and commercial vehicles and vulnerable users (cyclists, walkers, equestrians) – usually in close proximity with little space to react when things go wrong.
One in 31 rural road collisions results in a fatality, compared with one in 122 for urban roads, highlighting the disproportionate risks faced by all rural road users. Many rural road speed limits remain at the national default, often unsuitable for the variable layouts and mixed user types so often found. Sharp blind corners, alternating shade and glare, narrow or uneven lanes, overhanging trees, limited or absent street lighting and poor signage can compound the risk. Maintenance issues such as potholes or roadside debris are widespread, with repairs in many locations long overdue.
Enforcement is limited by police visibility and resources, while safety infrastructure – such as crash barriers or separate cycle paths- is rarely available.
This webinar was delivered in partnership with Redspeed.
Meet the panel
Sean Maher
Sales Director, Quartix
The data from users of Quartix’s telematics systems provides a unique insight into what its customers’ drivers view as a safe speed to travel on many rural roads. This can highlight unsafe driving even among those not breaking the posted speed limit.
Mark Bromhall
Fleet Risk Manager, NFU Mutual
Formerly Group Road Safety Manager at Royal Mail Group, Mark brings a unmatched level of experience in managing commercial vehicle driver safety on rural roads and addressing the risks faced.
Dafydd Llywelyn
Dyfed-Powys Polcie and Crime Commissioner
It doesn’t get more rural than Dyfed-Powys and Dafydd will talk about the challenges faced in his area and how his office and the Dyfed-Powys police force try maintain safety on their rural roads.
