CHILDREN STOP 22 DRIVERS FOR SPEEDING OUTSIDE SCHOOL

Some 22 drivers were stopped by children from Nantgaredig for speeding outside their school.

A further four drivers and six passengers were also stopped for not wearing a seatbelt.

The pupils were joined by officers from the council’s road safety unit as well as officers from Dyfed-Powys Police and the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

The offending drivers were given the option of speaking to the children to explain why they were speeding instead of receiving penalty points and a fine.

And those not wearing their seatbelts attended a hard-hitting presentation at the fire station on the devastating consequences of not wearing a seatbelt.

One driver was stopped for doing over 40mph in a 30mph and not wearing their seatbelt along with the four passengers (it was a work vehicle). By choosing to speak to the children and attend the fire service presentation, he avoided a minimum of three penalty points on his driving licence and a substantial fine.

Executive Board Member for Transport Cllr Hazel Evans said: “This initiative highlights the dangers and raises the awareness of speeding outside schools not only for the drivers, but for the children as well.

“Their safety is paramount and having to face the children and answer their questions can be a sobering experience for the drivers.

“Hopefully these types of initiatives will make people think about the speed they are travelling, particularly outside schools, and why it is important to belt up. A seatbelt could save your life in the event of a road accident.”

Community Safety Manager for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service Dylan Evans said: “As firefighters we see the consequences of speeding and not wearing seatbelts far too often. This collaborative working with our partners is essential in getting the message across to road users so we can make a difference and reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“The work we are doing within Carmarthenshire forms part of our Strategic Road Safety Plan. We want all road users to kill their speed and remember to wear their seatbelts on every journey and we are actively working with the police and council road safety teams to relay this message.

“Every road traffic collision that results in a death or serious injury affects the family and friends of those involved as well as society as a whole. Anyone wishing to find out more on how they can be a safer driver or help us to reduce the number of people killed or injured on our roads, please contact Neil Evans our Road Safety manager via 0370 60 60 699.”