19th March 2008
STRABANE DPP FOCUS ON ROAD SAFETY
Police in Strabane will be running a Road Safety Operation from March 19th to 25th as part on ongoing efforts to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.
The seven-day operation has been organised in conjunction with the local District Policing Partnership and will focus mainly on young drivers in the 17-24 age bracket who have been identified as a high-risk group.
Area Commander Chief Inspector Phil Marks said: "We will be making the best use of our resources from Neighbourhood Policing Teams to Response Officers in what will be a high profile campaign to prevent further loss of life on our roads.
"Motorists should expect to see an increased police presence on all routes throughout Strabane and we will be targeting the four main causes of road traffic collisions: excess speed, driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, not wearing seatbelts and the use of mobile phones.
"Already too many people have died on the roads and the impact of this is devastating both for the families involved and for the wider community. The time has come for drivers to realise that they have a huge responsibility not only for their own safety but also for the safety of their passengers and other road users."
Councillor Thomas Kerrigan, Chairperson of Strabane DPP, added: "Road safety has always been a priority for the District Policing Partnership and we fully support the police in their efforts to educate drivers about the dangers of the roads.
"Everyone is accountable for their actions on the roads and we hope that every motorist takes this message on board and drives responsibly."
Pictured are Sergeant Alan McWhirter, Constable Jake Burns, Inspector Graham Dodds,
Chair of Strabane DPP Thomas Kerrigan, Chief Inspector Phil Marks and Vanessa Russell
DPP Manager