Angelique Foster, Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner, is to examine the progress being made against her Police and Crime Plan priority to improve road safety and tackle dangerous driving in her next performance meeting.
As part of an ongoing programme of scrutiny, the Commissioner will receive detailed evidence from the force on the work it is doing to make Derbyshire's roads network and to address the ‘Fatal Four' causes of collisions (speeding, mobile phones, seat belts and drink/drug driving).
The Performance Scrutiny Meeting (PSM) will take place virtually on Tuesday 21st May and members of the public are invited to submit questions ahead of the event for the Commissioner, Chief Constable or senior officers to respond.
Road Safety is a key priority in the Commissioner's Police and Crime Plan and her investment in new technology, training and resources has resulted in significant achievements since 2021, including a 22 per cent reduction in fatal collisions.
Her budget has supported an increase in the number of police vehicles fitted with Automatic Numberplate Recognition (ANPR) technology and additional speed enforcement at 40 sites every month.
Her work to make Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) available to parish and community groups across rural Derbyshire has proved a huge success. Working closely with Derbyshire County Council, the Commissioner has invested £150k in SIDs through her Road Safety Grant with 65 installations agreed.
In fulfilling her Police and Crime pledge, the Commissioner has continued to expand Community Speedwatch across the county to help local people play their part in road safety. She also backed the introduction of Operation Capture - the system enabling residents to upload dashcam footage of dangerous driving incidents to secure vital evidence to bring offenders to justice. This includes supporting the creation of a new civilian post to manage the scheme.
The Commissioner recently announced funding for 30 Advanced Driver Courses for young drivers aged 17 to 25 over the next 12 months.
The IAM Roadsmart courses will be held in Derby, Chesterfield and Derwent and Hope Valley to improve young drivers' observational skills and experience behind the wheel to reduce their vulnerability on Derbyshire's roads and prepare them for potential danger. The Commissioner is also providing partial funding for 46 Advanced Rider Courses for motorcyclists in Derbyshire through the IAM RoadSmart road safety charity.
Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster said: "Road safety is important to all of us and people rightly expect drivers to be caught and punished when they break the law. Since 2021, I have continued to invest in our Roads Policing Unit, funding additional enforcement in areas where it is needed most and ensuring our officers have the equipment and technology needed to keep dangerous drivers off the roads.
"Most road collisions are preventable, and I have balanced the need for visible and robust enforcement with opportunities to educate and challenge motorists to change their behaviour in the long-term.
Although I have fulfilled my priorities for safer roads, we must continue the hard work and make further improvements as every life lost is one too many. There is much more to be done and I will carry on the work on behalf of residents."
The Commissioner has worked closely with the Derbyshire and Derby Road Safety Partnership (DDRSP) and other key stakeholders to improve road safety.
She has also funded the training of more than 250 motorcyclists through BikeSafe. This is a unique police-led motorcycle initiative working directly with riders to raise awareness of the value of achieving accredited post-test training. The Derbyshire project received a National BikeSafe award for ‘outstanding service' last year.
PSMs provide a platform for the Commissioner to hold Chief Constable Rachel Swann to account for progress made against her improvement plans.
The PSM meeting will take place virtually on Tuesday 21st May and will be recorded and published via the Commissioner's website and social media channels as soon as possible after its conclusion.