College students back initiative to make local roads safer

Students from Derby College Group have been making a tangible impact on road safety by supporting a scheme aimed at educating drivers about the dangers of speeding.

Public Service course students at the college have been lending their skills and enthusiasm to support the 88 established Speedwatch groups across the county, which comes under the Derbyshire Community Speedwatch scheme.

The scheme is designed to empower local volunteers to address speeding concerns in their neighbourhoods.

Trained volunteers, including the Derby College Group students, monitor vehicle speeds and record the registration numbers of those exceeding limits.

These details are then forwarded to the Casualty Reduction Enforcement Support Team (CREST), which conducts checks and send educational letters to vehicle owners, encouraging safer driving behaviour.

Chrissie Draper, Derby College Group’s higher education advanced practitioner, who teaches the students, said: “Our students are passionate about making a difference in their communities, and the Derbyshire Community Speedwatch scheme is the perfect opportunity for them to apply their learning to a real-world issue.

“By participating, they’re not only contributing to road safety but also gaining valuable experience in public service and community engagement.

“This hands-on initiative will help them develop the skills and confidence they need for their future careers.”

Paul Cannon, Derbyshire Constabulary Speedwatch co-ordinator, said: “We are so pleased to have the students join the scheme in Derbyshire.

“Speeding is one of the ‘Fatal Four’ that we know contributes to our most serious collisions and we are working hard to persuade drivers to stick to the speed limits across the county.

“A large part of the work we do in force is enforcement; however, we strongly believe that part of the long-term solution is to make drivers aware of how concerned people living in our communities are about the dangers of speeding.

“Last year, the brilliant work our volunteers resulted in more than 9,500 letters being issued to the owners of speeding cars, explaining the danger and asking them to consider their future driving behaviour.

“The fact that this message is now also coming from younger members of the community makes that message even stronger.”