Guernsey Motor Trades Association - GMTA

21/11/2024

Did you know?

Pavement surfing carries a penalty of a £65 fine.

It’s sometimes necessary to mount the pavement on the smaller roads in the Bailiwick, but if you need to do so to give way to, or pass, oncoming traffic, make sure you slow down to a near-stop, wait for pedestrians to pass and mount it safely.

Drivers should then move along the pavement at a crawl until they have passed the obstruction.

If you’re seen driving recklessly on the pavement you will face a fine.

21/11/2024

To prevent road collisions, it's important to remember that while we all have an equal right to use the road, different road users have very different levels of responsibility to ensure the safety of others.

When we're driving, we have the potential to cause the most damage, particularly when overtaking other more vulnerable road users, so how much space should we leave when overtaking?

🚴‍♀️ If we're driving at 30mph and are overtaking someone who is cycling, we should leave at least 1.5 metres (five feet) between our vehicle and the person who is cycling, giving them more space if we're travelling at higher speeds.

🚶 Allow 2 metres (6.5 feet) of space between our vehicle and anyone who is walking in the road - for example, if there's no pavement.

🐎 If we're overtaking horse-riders we should leave at least 2 metres (6.5 feet) between our vehicle and the horse. Horses can spook easily, so we shouldn't pass them at speeds over 10mph.

❌ Please don't overtake unless you're able to maintain these distances while passing.

Whether we're driving, cycling, walking, running or horse-riding, we are all responsible for using the roads in a safe, considerate and responsible manner, making sure that we keep our community safe.

18/11/2024

Road Safety Week kicks off today.

The theme this year is ‘After the crash, every road victim counts’.

We’re going to be pushing messages around road safety for motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and all other road users throughout the week.

We will primarily focusing on drink driving, speeding, driving while on your phone and driving without a seatbelt, also known as the fatal four. These factors undoubtedly cause the most fatal or serious collisions on the road, which is why they are so important to remember.

Any of these offences are totally unacceptable, and it only takes one irresponsible decision to cause an accident, and change a life.

18/11/2024

Road collisions affect everyone involved, whether or not they suffer physical injury. Consequences of a collision are generally far more severe for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders and so this is where the road user hierarchy is important.

The reality is that a minority of road users may not be fully aware of the implications of their actions. It is crucial that we all “Expect the Unexpected".

This Road Safety Week, we urge everyone to stay alert and prepared, understanding that every moment on the road carries risks. A moment of care can make all the difference.

17/11/2023

Road Safety Week 2023 begins next week. This year the focus is on cutting your speed.

We’re going to be pushing key messages around road safety for motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, and other road users throughout the week, and our officers will also be on the roads keeping an eye out for any of the fatal five road offences.

Speeding is one of those five, alongside mobile phone use, drink driving, not wearing a seatbelt, and careless or distracted driving. Together, these cause the vast majority of fatalities on UK roads.

All of these offences are totally unacceptable. It only takes one impatient journey and one decision to ignore a speed limit to end a life, and it only takes glancing at a text for a few seconds to hit someone else. We’re not immune from any of these things in Guernsey.

Particularly during Road Safety Week, think about the way you use the roads, and how you can be more responsible to help keep our whole community safe.

13/11/2023