Businesses Urged To Back Road Safety Campaign To Reduce Collisions

Businesses across the Isle of Wight are being urged to support a road safety campaign aimed at reducing the number of road traffic collisions on the Island.

The Isle of Wight Council's Project Pictogram encourages drivers to avoid dangerous behaviours including speeding, driving while distracted, failing to wear a seatbelt, drink or drug driving and tailgating.

The council says factors linked to those behaviours were present in just over 35 per cent of all road traffic collisions on the Isle of Wight between 2020 and 2024.

Known nationally as the "Fatal Four", speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, distractions such as mobile phone use, and drink or drug impairment all significantly increase the risk of a collision.

The campaign also highlights tailgating, which the council says frequently results in slight injury collisions that can still have a major impact on the Island's road network and local economy.

Businesses are being encouraged to display Project Pictogram branding on fleet vehicles and customer-facing materials to help raise awareness. Island Roads, Isle of Wight Distribution/Acclaim Logistics and Bartletts Service Station have already joined the campaign, with the branding also displayed on Isle of Wight Council vehicles.

The campaign has also launched a series of online animations, which have been shown on Red Funnel screens, using simple imagery based on "nudge theory" to encourage safer driving behaviour.

Lewis Campbell, the Isle of Wight Council's road safety officer, said:

"Project Pictogram is a major push to fight against some of the most common behavioural factors that lead to road traffic collisions.

"We are asking businesses to support the campaign by adding the branding to their fleet vehicles and customer-facing materials to help raise awareness of the campaign.

"We can all do our part to reduce road traffic collisions, and to do our best to prevent them."

The council is providing campaign resources free of charge. Businesses can find out more via Project Pictogram.

With the summer events season underway, the council is also reminding residents about the Morning After Calculator, a free online tool that estimates how long alcohol takes to leave the body.

It is intended to help people make safer decisions before driving the day after drinking and should not be used as a green light to consume more alcohol.