Brockenhurst College today launched its support of Forest-wide initiatives to reduce animal road casualties through raising awareness about the dangers of speeding.
As a follow-up to its recent Drive Safe campaign, and as part of National Road Safety Week, Brock launched a campaign called ‘For Pete’s Sake’, an initiative featuring mascots ‘Pete the Pony’ and ‘Dotty the Deer’, to encourage awareness about the importance of driving safely in order to help reduce the number of incidents involving animals on rural roads in the New Forest.
A number of key agency representatives attended the event, including the New Forest National Park Authority, New Forest District Council, British Deer Society, Commoners Defence Association, Hampshire Fire and Rescue, Hampshire Constabulary and Hampshire County Council Road Safety.
PC Graham from the Country Watch Wildlife Crime Team said: “All of the organisations taking part in the ‘For Pete’s Sake’ campaign work in partnership across the Forest to reduce animal road accidents. The event today at Brockenhurst College has provided the ideal opportunity to talk to students, give out information and raise awareness about the importance of taking care on Forest roads.”
Nigel Matthews from the New Forest National Park Authority, ran a poll to collect students’ opinions about how effective they feel road safety measures such as ‘pinch points’, signage, reflective collars worn by ponies and awareness-raising activities such as car stickers and information cards are. He said: “The key message is to drive within the speed limit, in a way that is appropriate to weather conditions and to give animals a wide berth; you never know when an animal might step out into the road, so must always be alert and ready to stop.” Information was also provided about what to do if a road emergency involving an animal does occur. Graham Ferris from the New Forest Commoners Defence Association advised: “If a driver is ever unfortunate enough to hit an animal when driving, it is essential that it is reported. There are a number of hit and run incidents that take place, which leave animals suffering and distressed before authorities can get to them.”
As part of the campaign, the College’s ‘Student Watch’ team, a group of Uniformed Public Services students working in conjunction with Hampshire Constabulary, invited others to sign a pledge, committing to think twice about the consequences of their actions when driving, and to refrain from using mobile phones when behind the wheel. First year student Jodie Hambling said: “It is very important that students understand the dangers of texting when driving, especially in an area like the New Forest where the number of animals roaming freely are an added risk on the roads.” In addition, the group set up a suggestions box, inviting students to contribute their ideas about the best methods to use to spread this important message. A series of hard-hitting images, showing the tragic after-math of road accidents involving Forest animals, also reinforced the urgency of the drive safe message.
John Howell, Public Services lecturer and part of the College Health & Safety team, helped organise today’s event. “As a large educational establishment located in the heart of the New Forest, it is important for our staff and students to support campaigns of this nature,” he said. “Our aim is to preserve the heritage of the Forest, think about the safety of wildlife when driving and do everything we can to help reduce the number of terrible accidents that occur on local roads.”
Clive Evans from Hampshire Fire and Rescue collaborated with the team to promote the campaign. He added: “We are privileged to live and work in a part of the country that has such a beautiful natural environment and is shared by such an abundance of wildlife – when we travel through the Forest by car, we are effectively driving through their front room, so it is essential we show respect by driving in a safe and considered way.”