Transport for Bucks (TfB) supports ‘THINK! Country Roads’ campaign

Transport for Buckinghamshire is supporting the national ‘Think! Country Roads’ campaign to help boost awareness of safer driving on the county’s rural roads, particularly on approaches to bends.

The campaign, which will run until the end of November, is targeting drivers aged 25-34 yearswiththe message ‘brake before the bend, not on it’.

In Great Britain 59% of all road fatalities occur on country roads, and in 2015 10,307 people were killed or seriously injured on these type of roads. The number of people killed on country roads is 10 times higher than on motorways.

In Buckinghamshire in 2015 there were 14 people killed and 113 seriously injured on country roads. These 14 fatalities equate to two thirds of all road deaths in 2015 within the county. Theprimary causes of these collisions were failing to look properly at junctions, poor judgement of speed and loss of control on bends.

A national survey carried out prior to the campaign showed that problems on country roads are most acute among young drivers.

A third confessed to braking too late before a bend and more than one in 10 admitted to ‘taking the racing line’ by crossing into the opposite side of the road. Young drivers are also the most likely to overtake on a bend without a clear road ahead.

Mark Shaw, Cabinet Member for Transportation at Buckinghamshire County Council, said: “Buckinghamshire is a rural county with many beautiful country lanes that attract a wide range of road users including walkers, cyclists and horse riders. The Think! Country Roads campaign aims to get drivers to anticipate the hazards that may lie ahead and reduce their speed into bends, with the key message ‘brake before the bend, not on it’ as you never know what may be just around the corner.”

TfB supports motorists of all ages by offering ‘Be a Better Driver’ assessments. These assessments place a strong emphasis on driving on rural roads and the importance of anticipation and hazard awareness.

For more information on the assessments:

Email: tfb@buckscc.gov.uk

Telephone: 01296 382 416