"Don't Let It Be You" Road Safety Campaign

“Don’t let it be you” was the message being taught to school children and adults in Glanymor and Tyisha this week as three schools got together with emergency services and other partners to highlight the dangers posed by cars and inconsiderate parking outside schools.

Pupils from Coedcae Comprehensive and Bigyn Primary School found themselves pretending to be victims of car accidents on Tuesday 28th September while emergency services tended to them.Whilst pupils from Copperworks Infants School dressed in white jump suit and became the zig zags outside school.

It is hoped that by producing local road safety posters and postcards, it will highlight the potential road safety dangers within Glanymor and Tyisha. By personalising the road safety message and ensuring it is advertised in schools and throughout the community, the group aims to reduce the number of accidents and potential accidents as well as reducing inconsiderate parking.

“This project is all about using local faces and local places to highlight important concerns,” said Joanne Yeo of the Glanymor and Tyisha Communities Action Group, which organized the event with Communities First.

The Safer Communities Action Group works to reduce crime and the perception of crime throughout Glanymor and Tyisha. Road Safety issues around the local schools are often brought up in their monthly meetings. One of the group’s targets for this year is to promote road safety in the community, and the group hopes that with school “walk to school” events, Kerbcraft sessions and this campaign, it will bring a greater awareness and have a huge impact on the community.

“Road Safety issues around our local schools are often brought up in the monthly meetings we hold with communities across the town, and indeed the county,” said Inspector Eric Evans. “And it’s an issue we take very seriously. I would hope that by highlighting the potential dangers in such a visual and hard hitting way, that drivers will think more carefully of their speed when they travel past schools, and think twice about where they park.”

“Safety of school children is paramount and hopefully these iniatives will get the message across about taking care whilst travelling to and from school” said Watch Manager Sean Lloyd of Carmarthenshire Community Safety at Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

The project was funded by the Community Safety Partnership, Carmarthenshire County Council and Dyfed Crime Beat. It involved the Glanymor and Tyisha Safer Communities Action Group , Communities First, the Glanymor and Tyisha Neighbourhood Policing Team, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Carmarthenshire County Council Road Safety Unit, Community Safety Partnership, Coedcae Comprehensive School, Bigyn Primary School, Copperworks Infant School, Louise Charles of Llanelli Face Painting and Graham Harries of Llanelli Photographic Society.

"The safety of children outside schools is paramount" said Nicola Olsson, Carmarthenshire County Council's Assistant Road Safety Officer. "The 'Don't Let It Be You Campaign' highlights the dangers and raises the awareness of speeding outside schools not only to the drivers, but to the children as well. This campaign highlights what we can achieve when we work together."

The group are now working with Carmarthenshire County Council's Road Safety Unit to create "Parents Parking Pledge" tax discs which we hope will encourage more considerate parking.

Visit the following links for press releases:

http://www.llanellitown.com/local-news/all-local-news/250-dont-let-it-be-you-road-safety-campaign

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-11443305