Road safety event keeps residents ‘Alive to Drive’

Impact Partnership’s Road Safety Team, Greater Manchester Police and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue held an ‘Alive to Drive’ drivers awareness day at The Butts, Rochdale.

‘Alive to Drive’ encouraged safer driving for drivers, especially the young and inexperienced. The event provided information as to how drivers could improve their skills and avoid collisions.

The day included a driving simulator provided by BSM, Fire and Rescue and Police demonstrations by Rochdale’s services, drink driving advice provided by Impact Partnership, and advanced driving advice by the Institute of Advanced Motorists. The day’s activities were free of charge and a competition was held to win driving-related prizes.

Impact Partnership, who manage road safety behalf of the Rochdale Borough Council, work with organisations like the Police and Fire services to educate drivers and reduce accidents within the borough.

Impact’s Road Safety Officer, Stuart Howarth, said: “Recent government targets aim to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads by a third by 2020. We hope the ‘Alive to Drive’ day educated drivers to drive safely and ultimately reduce the amount of accidents on the borough’s roads. We are grateful for the assistance of the organisations took part.”

Greater Manchester Police also took the opportunity to enforce the no private vehicles access restriction on South Parade, stopping a number of drivers and seizing one car with no insurance or tax. Superintendent Chris Hankinson, for Rochdale Division, said: “Activities such as these are a great way of showing the public how to stay safe when on the road. The day received great feedback from those that attended and I hope it’s shown people the importance of making the appropriate checks before taking to their vehicles for the start of their journey.”