Stay Safe+Sound on the roads this winter with Staffordshire Fire & Rescue

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue and the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership are calling on drivers to tune in to a brand new online program and be Safe+Sound on the roads this winter.

The Safe+Sound Winter Driving Special, to be broadcast during Road Safety Week this month, looks at how the season can bring a new set of challenges when out on the roads, both to us as drivers and to our vehicles.

The online programme will look at a range of topics including winter vehicle checks and driving in poor weather to provide motorists with essential tips for driving safely during the colder, darker months.

With contributions from Staffordshire Police, Highways England and Network Rail, other topics include eyesight and driving, approaching level crossings and driving when emergency vehicles are on a blue light run.

The 30-minute Safe+Sound Winter Driving Special will be broadcast at 4pm on Tuesday, 17th November, via www.learnliveuk.com/safesound

It will then be available to watch on demand via the same link from Thursday, 19th November until spring 2021.

Inspector Mark Joynson, from Staffordshire Police's Roads Policing Unit, said; "We are delighted to reveal the Safe+Sound Winter Special programme for drivers to take part in and implore everyone to get involved.

"Improving the safety of our roads is a priority for the force and, working with our partner organisations, we hope that together we can all reduce the number of incidents that happen on our roads network, making them a safer place for people to drive."

On top of this, the weekly Safe+Sound programme for children aged seven-to-11 years old is continuing to broadcast every Wednesday at 10am on www.learnliveuk.com/safesound

This consists of short workshops designed to teach children life skills to help keep themselves, their families, friends and carers Safe+Sound.

These are also available to watch on demand at the same link once they have been broadcast.

Helen Wood, education manager at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue, said: “We’ve been delivering our weekly Safe+Sound programmes for children since May. Having the opportunity to do a Winter Driving Special allows us to target a new adult audience and deliver some essential messages to help and support our communities as they travel about this winter.

“We’re using the online LearnLive platform as it allows us to engage in a different way, something we’re doing much more since the Covid-19 pandemic started.

“There is a live chat facility which runs alongside the broadcast – we would really appreciate it if anyone watching communicates with us using this facility – this allows us to answer questions and gather feedback."