South Yorkshire Police crime commissioner explaining what he thought could be done to make the county's roads safer.

Transcript

00:00 Just talking to Alan Billings who is the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner.

00:06 Could you tell me Alan what do you think can be done to make the roads safer in South Yorkshire

00:13 and prevent serious crashes?

00:15 Well I know what comes across my desk every day because every day I receive from the police

00:21 an outline of the serious incidents that have happened on our roads in the previous 24 hours

00:27 and sadly there are some things that come up time and time again. Probably the most common is the

00:32 use of mobile phones. People just don't realise how distracting they are when they're driving.

00:38 So I see incidents, road traffic collisions that have involved people because they've been using

00:44 a mobile phone and they've got distracted in that way. So mobile phones. Other things they do need

00:50 to think about, children in the car need to be safely strapped in the car and not loose and

00:57 again distracting them. But also pets. I've seen incidents recorded there where it's been the dog

01:05 that's been loose in the car and has actually distracted the driver or pulled at the driver's

01:10 arms. That sort of thing. Other things are obvious like the use of the safety belt. You really must

01:15 put the safety belt on. But it's those little things which are easily done where you don't

01:22 think too much about the child in the car with the safety belt. And the mobile phone, it's so

01:28 tempting just to pick it up when you're late for an appointment or you're worried about something.

01:35 You really shouldn't be doing it. It is distracting and it causes a lot of accidents.

01:40 Is speed and alcohol always a big issue?

01:42 Yes, speed is always a factor. People are always driving too fast clearly and getting too close

01:49 to the car in front. Getting impatient and simply losing your patience with people.

01:56 Traffic lights or wherever it is, going through a red light. There are just so many things like

02:01 that. General awareness I think of how, I suppose when you're in a car you think I'm surrounded by a

02:07 metal shell and it seems to be safe for me but that's not the case at all.

02:12 So just general awareness of what makes for safety and lack of safety.

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