The Road Safety GB Academy has unveiled its calendar of training courses for the summer of 2026.

Established in 2013, the RSGB Academy is the professional development arm of Road Safety GB. The Academy helps road safety practitioners enhance their skills in order to deliver effective, evidence-led road safety interventions.

All of the courses offered in the Academy’s programme are delivered in a Zoom virtual classroom, meaning candidates can participate from the convenience of their home or office.

The newly-announced courses are as follows:

1-2 July 2026
Road Safety Evaluation Course
Often road safety practitioners recognise the need to evaluate but are concerned that they do not have the skills to complete an appropriate level of evaluation. This course aims to provide the practitioner with these skills and to help them to recognise when they may need to consider accessing external support.
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7-8 July & 8-9 September 2026
Road Safety Practitioner Foundation Course
Over the last two decades road safety practice has developed significantly and is now widely recognised as a specialist area of education. Recognising this, the course provides participants with an overview of the whole process from identifying a road safety issue to course development and evaluation. The course is designed for all road safety practitioners currently involved with, or delivering, road safety interventions.
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14-15 July 2026
Safe System Course (two days)
This two-day course explores a range of subjects associated with implementing a Safe System, including: Safe Speeds, Safe Roads and Roadsides, Safe Vehicles, Safe Road Users and Post-Crash Response. The course has a strong focus on the need to work in partnership, not only with road safety professionals but the wider community. This course is suitable for those who design or deliver road safety interventions.
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22-23 Sept 2026
Two-Day Behavioural Change Course
This course is designed to give road safety practitioners an insight into the world of behavioural change models and techniques, and how interventions can be developed that will look at the underlying issues associated with risk related behaviour, and ultimately collisions.
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29 September 2026
Introduction to Statistics
The course aims to improve the participant’s capability to develop targeted road safety interventions by improving their ability to correctly analyse and interpret data. The course will be suitable for any road safety practitioner who is new to data analysis or who wants to refresh their skills.
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30 September 2026
Introduction to the Needs of Older Road Users
As the population ages it will become increasingly important for road safety practitioners to understand the needs of older road users. This is a complex area and covers a wide range of medical conditions and societal challenges. This course will introduce a road safety practitioner to these challenges, with the aim of helping them to develop road safety interventions that will support older road users, in order to maximise their safety.
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With work-related journeys accounting for more than a third of those killed or seriously injured on Essex roads, businesses across the county are being encouraged to take action on road safety this summer.

The message from the Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP) to employers is clear: driving for work is one of the most significant risks facing your workforce.

Its Business Driving in Essex programme is designed to help organisations better understand their responsibilities, reduce risk and protect both employees and the wider public.

The programme supports business owners, directors and managers in developing safer driving practices, improving compliance with health and safety legislation and safeguarding their organisation’s reputation.

Experienced fleet trainers deliver tailored training packages to suit each business, whether supporting teams, fleet drivers or operational staff.

Sessions can include both practical and classroom-based learning, covering key areas such as hazard awareness, risk perception and defensive driving techniques.

Will Cubbin, SERP manager, said: “Driving is one of the most high-risk activities many employees undertake as part of their role, yet it is often overlooked. With work-related driving accounting for a significant proportion of fatalities on our roads, businesses have a crucial role to play in improving safety.

“By investing in training, organisations can not only protect their staff and other road users, but also reduce costs, improve efficiency and demonstrate a clear commitment to safety as part of our shared ambition towards Vision Zero, our shared aspiration for zero deaths and serious injuries on Essex roads.”

The next Project EDWARD webinar will examine the latest developments in alcohol interlock technology and policy — and ask what it will take to unlock its full safety potential in the UK and across Europe.

The free online breakfast briefing on the subject will be taking place via Microsoft Teams on Friday 22 May 2026 from 8-9am.

The session comes at a critical moment for road safety policy. Around a quarter of all road deaths in Europe still involve drink-driving, despite decades of enforcement campaigns and public education.

Alcohol interlock technology – which requires a driver to pass a breath test before a vehicle will start – is now widely recognised as one of the most effective tools for cutting reoffending rates, particularly when embedded within structured rehabilitation programmes for high-risk offenders.

The European Transport Safety Council’s executive director Antonio Avenoso and project manager Francesca Podda have been at the forefront of European efforts to expand alcohol interlock programmes and track country-by-country progress.

This briefing takes place against a backdrop of potentially significant policy movement. In January 2026, the UK Government launched its first comprehensive Road Safety Strategy in more than a decade, including a commitment to consult on the use of alcohol interlock devices for convicted drink-drivers.

Research published in late 2025 found that 82% of UK drivers support the introduction of alcohol interlocks – with backing spanning all age groups, from 87% of under-25s to 73% of drivers aged 65 and over. Across Europe, momentum is also building. Italy recently moved its alcohol interlock programme to full implementation phase, with the Italian Ministry of Transport publishing an official list of authorised devices and installation workshops.

France has announced that all repeat drink-drive offenders will be required to install an interlock, following an existing requirement for coaches.

The European Transport Safety Council has called on the EU to extend mandatory interlock requirements to all new professional vehicles.  Studies consistently show that alcohol interlocks can reduce drink-drive reoffending by around 60 to 75% when fitted as part of a supervised programme – a compelling evidence base that many road safety advocates argue demands urgent legislative action.

During the session, Project EDWARD’s James Luckhurst will consider what – or who – is holding back wider adoption, legally, technically, and politically. He will also seek to find out why earlier initiatives stalled, what lessons can be learned and who needs to be involved – from legislators and courts to fleets, employers and health professionals.

The event is free to attend and open to road safety professionals, policymakers, fleet managers, health practitioners, enforcement agencies and anyone with an interest in tackling drink-driving.  Attendees will have their cameras and microphones enabled, allowing the opportunity for a truly interactive conversation.

A new survey reveals almost half (47%) of UK drivers believe touchscreen dashboards make driving more distracting when compared to using physical buttons.

The survey, by car insurers Quotezone.co.uk, highlights growing safety concerns about modern dashboards, as safety authorities begin to clamp down on the new technology. 

Touchscreens have become synonymous with modern cars and research suggests 97% of new cars released since 2023 featured a central touchscreen.

By 2030, analysts are predicting that the average size of a vehicle dashboard will reach 10.6 inches – the same size as most mid-sized tablet devices.

According to Quotezone’s survey, one in three (31%) drivers already feel car touchscreens are too big, with future increases likely to be unwelcome amongst motorists.

The safety of car touchscreens has also been brought into question by independent car safety bodies in different regions across the globe.

From the start of 2026, the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) began downgrading the safety rating of cars that don’t have physical buttons or switches for indicators, hazard lights, horns, windscreen wipers, and the SOS function.

Similar concerns have been raised by the independent car safety assessment program for Australia and New Zealand (ANCAP Safety), asking manufacturers to “bring back buttons” for important driver controls from 2026. China is following suit with new cars needing to feature physical buttons for key functions from 1st July 2026.

Many cars already restrict drivers from using certain touchscreen functions such as texting while a car is in motion. More than half, 53%, of the motorists surveyed said they would support restrictions on functions such as built-in music players and sat navs.

Greg Wilson, car insurance expert and CEO at Quotezone.co.uk, said: “Using a mobile phone while driving is rightly banned due to the distraction it causes, but our survey shows that modern car touchscreens are becoming increasingly distracting.

“Drivers are now expected to adjust essential settings with a swipe or touch through menus and screens rather than simple buttons, which can take people’s attention away from the road for longer than many realise.

“Touchscreens are predicted to increase in size in the next few years, but with safety concerns gaining momentum around the world, it’s time to review this innovation and make sure safety is the top priority.

“Distraction is one of the main contributing factors to collisions on our roads, drivers need to be wary and make sure they don’t let anything inside or outside the car distract their attention.”

A free educational resource, which has already been used by almost 10,000 children across nearly 50 primary schools, is being made available for local authorities to download and use.

Developed by The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) and AXA UK, Backseat BOSS empowers primary school children to become road safety champions

Children will learn how to be safer passengers and future drivers – all in just 25 minutes.

Ready-to-teach sessions for KS1, KS2 and SEN pupils – the resource is designed to be delivered in a classroom, in assembly, or at an after-school or holiday club.

It includes:

• An easy-to-follow lesson plan that will guide you through the session
• A presentation for the classroom, assembly or club session
• A ready-to-go scriptto help lead the session with confidence
• Fun activities and gamesto keep the children engaged and get them moving

The resource can be downloaded from the CAPT website.

An event bringing together leaders and operational officers to discuss current road safety challenges and share good practice from across the country was held last week with support from The Road Safety Trust.

The inaugural What Works in Roads Policing seminar saw more than 70 police officers and practitioners involved in the delivery of roads policing and enforcement come together to listen and share expertise and best practice from their respective force areas.

Held at the College of Policing HQ in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, near Coventry, the event was hosted by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and National Roads Policing Operations, Intelligence & Investigations (NRPOII), with key organisational support from UKROEd.

Delegates heard from senior roads policing leaders, academics, health experts and other partners from across the sector with the aim of sharing learning, gaining new knowledge and encouraging collaboration beyond force borders in order to more make our roads safer for all who use them.

Speakers shared insights into a range of road safety and enforcement matters, including drink and drug driving enforcement, the effectiveness of hot spot policing, and the support that resources such as the Special Constabulary can provide to roads policing initiatives and operations.

There was also an opportunity for networking and meeting a range of exhibitors and event supporters, including the Trust, Motor Insurers’ Bureau and BikeSafe.

Commander Kyle Gordon, Head of Operation Topaz at the National Police Chiefs’ Council said: “This event was a valuable opportunity for roads policing officers and partners to come together, discussing best practice and sharing learning to support each other.

“I’d like to thank everyone who spoke and attended, your participation is so important and I hope everyone left today with ideas and a fresh perspective on how we can all work together to reduce the numbers of people killed and seriously injured on our roads each year.”

Ruth Purdie OBE, Chief Executive of both UKROEd – which governs and administers the National Driver Offender Retraining (NDOR) Scheme – and The Road Safety Trust added: “I was delighted UKROEd and The Road Safety Trust could support UK Roads Policing with this event. The work of roads policing officers is inextricably linked to success of the NDOR Scheme.

“We are all striving together to reduce death and serious injury on our roads and make them safer for all who use them, so it’s important that innovation and success stories are shared among colleagues to help us achieve this.”

]]> https://roadsafetygb.org.uk/news/roads-policing-leaders-join-forces-at-knowledge-sharing-event/feed/ 0 https://roadsafetygb.org.uk/news/final-call-for-young-driver-focus-2026/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=final-call-for-young-driver-focus-2026 https://roadsafetygb.org.uk/news/final-call-for-young-driver-focus-2026/#respond Fri, 01 May 2026 11:14:53 +0000 https://roadsafetygb.org.uk/?post_type=news&p=23639

With less than two weeks to go, delegate registration remains open for Young Driver Focus 2026.

Organised by FirstCar in association with GEM Motoring Assist, and support from Westcotec, YDF is the most established young driver event in the road safety calendar. 

Each year, it brings together those with a keen interest in keeping this cohort of at-risk road users safe to hear the latest research, ideas and interventions for newly qualified drivers.

The 2026 event takes place at the RAC Club, on London’s Pall Mall, on 13 May.

This year’s agenda brings together ministers, regulators, researchers and practitioners for a full day of evidence, debate and practical takeaways. Highlights include:

• A ministerial keynote from Lilian Greenwood MP, minister for local transport, setting out the government’s direction on young driver safety
• An industry update from Jacqui Griffiths at the DVSA, alongside a DfT THINK! update
• A workshop on young drivers and the Safe System from Agilysis
• Marketing agency Maze Media shares insight on what actually cuts through with Gen Z on social
• The latest findings from TRL’s Driver2020 study
• A young driver panel hosted by FirstCar TikTok star Keanan Lloyd-Adams, putting the spotlight back on the people we’re all trying to reach
• Rapid-fire sessions covering GoDrive, the Five in Five VR film, Drive Fit 2.0, and a fresh approach to learner driver skill-building

Delegate registration remains open, with a discounted rate available for Road Safety GB members.

For more information, visit the YDF website, or contact Richard Storrs via email.

The Road Safety Trust has announced the award of nearly £280,000 in grant funding for seven new projects designed to tackle a range of road safety issues in the UK.

The projects were selected following the Trust’s Autumn 2025 Small Grants funding round, which invited applications for research and practical interventions.

For the first time, the Trust implemented a new two-stage application process, which offered early feedback to applicants and guidance for those invited to submit full bids. This new approach appears to have been a success, with more applications and expressions of interest received than ever before.

A total of 88 Expressions of Interest (EOIs) were submitted, from an array of organisations, ranging from university research departments and police forces to charities and community interest companies.

Following a shortlisting exercise and a rigorous review by the Road Safety Initiatives Committee (RSIC) seven projects were approved by the Board of Trustees to receive funding, subject to completed paperwork. The successful projects are:

• Leaders Unlocked – The Young Drivers’ Commission: Empowering young people to reshape the way we educate, train, test and license
• Transport for All – Assessing gait speed of disabled people in the context of road crossings
• University of Leeds – Slowing down for safety: Where, when and why do drivers comply with 20 mph speed limits?
• Derbyshire Constabulary – National communications campaign to improve motorcycle safety
• The Open University (in partnership with Devon & Cornwall Police Driver Support Team) – A Focussed Response: Supporting police emergency drivers to recognise and manage cognitive distraction
• CVS Brent – Brent Streets Safe: Multi-Lingual Safety for Pedestrians and Cyclists
• Impact and Insight Ltd – Developing Behaviourally Informed Guidance for Using Virtual Reality (VR) in Road Safety Education

Ruth Purdie OBE, chief executive of The Road Safety Trust, said: “It was excellent to see such a high level of interest in this particular funding round, and such a broad range, both in terms of the scope of the bids and the applicants themselves.

“Death and serious injury on our roads remain unacceptably high and it’s clear that there are many aspects of road safety that still need to be addressed.

“I congratulate all those who were successful in their applications and I look forward to seeing how their projects can have a positive impact on the safety of our roads and on those who use them.”

The Road Safety Trust also recently launched its ‘Large Grants’ funding round with up to £200,000 available from a total funding pot of £750,000 for projects that focus on either preventing harm linked to drug-impaired driving and motorised riding, or safer vehicles. The window for submitting expressions of interest in this round closes on 5 May.

A full description of each project is provided as follows:

Leaders Unlocked – The Young Drivers’ Commission: Empowering young people to reshape the way we educate, train, test and license

Amount: £50,000

Young driver safety remains a major challenge, with nearly 5,000 people killed or seriously injured in 2024 in crashes involving at least one young driver. This pilot aims to unlock action by bringing young people and policymakers together in constructive dialogue. The Young Drivers’ Commission will support young people to explore the issues, engage with evidence, conduct peer research and present recommendations directly to decision-makers. Delivered with national and local partners, the pilot will establish three local Commissions and one national body focused on education, training, testing and licensing.

Transport for All – Assessing Gait Speed of Disabled People in the Context of Road Crossings

Amount: £49,700

This research will seek to address the safety gap between current UK signal timings and actual pedestrian mobility needs. By measuring the gait speeds of disabled participants, the project will provide new data to update national guidance for more inclusive crossings and provide the evidence base required to update national design guidance, ensuring signal timings reflect real-world needs and improve safety for all users.

University of Leeds – Slowing down for safety: Where, when and why do drivers comply with 20 mph speed limits?

Amount: £49,516

This project will take a human-centred approach to explore the factors affecting speed limit compliance in Leeds and provide an overview of best practices in the initial implementation of 20 mph speed zones, based on the research literature and lessons learned. It will produce guidance on meaningful changes that can push beyond the saturation point of existing interventions to help optimise the effectiveness of these speed zones.

Derbyshire Constabulary – National communications campaign to improve motorcycle safety

Amount: £37,485

This project aims to reduce motorcyclist deaths and serious injuries on UK roads through a behaviour change campaign. It builds on pilot research to create a unified, evidence-based campaign for 2026. Co-created with riders, the campaign will produce bold, consistent and research-backed materials available to all police forces via a shared toolkit, supporting the national BikeSafe programme and promoting safer motorcycling across the UK.

The Open University (in partnership with Devon & Cornwall Police Driver Support Team) – A Focussed Response: Supporting police emergency drivers to recognise and manage cognitive distraction

Amount: £37,369

This project will address the potential contributory factors behind fatalities and collisions involving police vehicles during emergency responses. By investigating cognitive distraction related road harm, the project will develop an evidence-based, interactive educational tool to improve officer decision-making, reduce road traffic incidents, and inform national police training and safety standards.

CVS Brent – Brent Streets Safe: Multi-Lingual Safety for Pedestrians and Cyclists

Amount: £24,000

This project will address the disproportionately high risk of casualties for non-English speakers. It will design culturally relevant safety content, run workshops to check content, produce 2,500 translated packs (with digital version) and provide a verified evidence base to Brent Council.

Impact and Insight Ltd – Developing Behaviourally Informed Guidance for Using Virtual Reality (VR) in Road Safety Education

Amount: £29,700

Virtual reality (VR) is becoming an increasingly popular tool for road safety education across the UK, particularly for engaging young and high-risk road users. However, practice varies widely and often relies on trauma-based content that research shows is unlikely to support meaningful behaviour change. There are currently no national standards guiding how VR should be designed, delivered, or evaluated. This project aims to fill that gap by developing the UK’s first national, evidence-based and behaviourally informed guidance for VR road safety interventions.

]]> https://roadsafetygb.org.uk/news/the-road-safety-trust-announces-funding-for-seven-new-projects/feed/ 0 https://roadsafetygb.org.uk/news/industry-experts-gather-to-accelerate-progress-on-mature-driver-safety/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=industry-experts-gather-to-accelerate-progress-on-mature-driver-safety https://roadsafetygb.org.uk/news/industry-experts-gather-to-accelerate-progress-on-mature-driver-safety/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:00:59 +0000 https://roadsafetygb.org.uk/?post_type=news&p=23624

More than 110 road safety professionals gathered in Birmingham on Tuesday (28 April), sharing expertise on how best to support mature drivers to maintain their independence while at the same time enhancing their safety.

The UK’s population is ageing, with the proportion of people aged 65 and over increasing year-on-year.

As a result, the number of mature drivers is also on the rise. Government data shows there were more than 6 million people aged 70 or over with a full driving licence in the UK as of September 2024.

The Mature Drivers’ Conference – hosted by Road Safety GB and supported by GEM Motoring Assist, The Road Safety Trust & Waymo – looked at this cohort of road users in the context of the Safe System approach to road safety.

James Gibson, executive director of Road Safety GB, said: “It was an excellent day, a day that brought together experts in this field of road safety. We were blessed with a stellar line-up of presenters that really know their subject area. The presentations were simply outstanding and we are so very grateful to all of our speakers.

“Special thanks must go to Rob Heard MBE and James Luckhurst for their superb input in terms of chairing the conference and running the panel sessions, both did this so brilliantly and with such enthusiasm. Huge thanks to Minister Greenwood, our sponsors, exhibitors and of course our delegates.”

The event was opened by Lilian Greenwood MP, minister for local transport. In her keynote speech, Ms Greenwood stressed the importance of finding a balance between retaining older drivers’ independence and improving safety for all road users.

The MP for Nottingham South added that the Government is working to ensure that new vehicles are fitted with technology to help keep older drivers safe, confirming that it will also work to tackle headlight glare and impaired driving.

With regards to eyesight, Ms Greenwood noted that if someone can’t see well enough to drive, they shouldn’t be on the roads – suggesting a formal process for eyesight testing could help keep drivers safe.

The agenda also included a presentation from Professor Charles Musselwhite, Aberystwyth University, who highlighted practical strategies for supporting older people, particularly when considering retiring from driving.

Meanwhile, Rob Heard MBE, who chaired the day’s proceedings, provided an evidence-based picture of older driver safety and provoke informed discussion on how best to support safe mobility in later life.

Other speakers included Dr Liz Box (ECM Research) & Tanya Fosdick (Agilysis), Dr Carol Hawley (Warwick University), Professor Richard Cuerden (TRL) and Nigel Lloyd-Jones (the Older Drivers Forum for Gloucestershire).

Paul Steinberg, deputy chief executive at The Road Safety Trust, opened the afternoon session. He said: “The Road Safety Trust is proud to have supported this conference which has shone an important spotlight on the unique challenges faced by older drivers.

“Given the focus on this demographic within the Government’s National Road Safety Strategy, it’s important that there are supportive policies and interventions in place guided by research and insight, which can support mature drivers in maintaining their independence and safety on our roads.

“What’s been particularly valuable is the emphasis on real-world solutions. By bringing together research, policy and practice, events like this help to ensure that older drivers are recognised and supported to drive with confidence and dignity, while contributing to our wider goal of reducing serious and fatal collisions on our roads.”

James Luckhurst, GEM head of road safety, facilitated two lively panel discussions. He said: “Older drivers make a huge contribution to safer, calmer roads, but we know that the point at which driving has to change – or stop altogether – can be daunting and deeply personal.

“This conference is about listening, learning and making sure every older road user feels supported, respected and safe.”

Heather Aijian, Head of Public Affairs at Waymo, said: “At Waymo, we believe that ‘giving up the keys’ shouldn’t mean giving up your independence.

“Waymo’s fully autonomous vehicles offer a safe, reliable, and stress-free alternative that keeps people connected to their communities. We are proud to support Road Safety GB in its mission to ensure that as road users age, they remain empowered, independent, and, most importantly, safe on every journey.”

Road Safety GB is a national road safety organisation made up of representatives from groups across the UK, including local government road safety teams.

A series of educational videos, which highlight the most common causes of collisions involving motorcyclists, received more than 400,000 social media views during a recent campaign.

The Know the Dangers campaign comprises nine films – and one longer film – which cover key issues including overtaking and filtering.

The films were initially produced in 2021, thanks to funding from The Road Safety Trust, and have received in excess of half a million views on social media.

As a result of that success, and with more bikers and drivers on the road during the Spring months, the SSUP decided to relaunch the campaign with new versions of the films over the Easter period.

The edited films, produced by Koala TV, deliver important safety messages, applicable to both drivers and riders. For this wave of the campaign, they were edited into 9×16 format, designed to appeal to modern social media usage – including platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Across the four weeks of the Spring 2026 campaign, the videos attracted more than 400,000 views – taking the total number of views on the films close to one million.

Popular films included one looking at overtaking, which received 85,000 views.

Meanwhile, a video looking at safe filtering received more than 10,200 views on TikTok, all of which were achieved organically.

Heidi Duffy MBE, SSUP facilitator, said: “The Know the Dangers films still illustrate the most common crash scenarios that involve motorcyclists today, particularly at this time of year when the bigger bikes emerge from ‘hibernation’ and take to the roads this Spring.

“However, the new portrait format gives a different viewpoint on how the actions of drivers and riders come together and result in a crash. It also gives us an opportunity to showcase the new format of the films across our social media platforms to the many new and returning motorcyclists.

“The Shiny Side Up Partnership hope that drivers and riders will use the information in the films to be aware of the type of crashes motorcyclists are involved in and take extra care, looking out for one another out on the road network, urban or rural.”

Versions of the films without the safety messages are also available for educational and training purposes – along with a series of infographics.

These can be found, along with all the films, on the Shiny Side Up Partnership website.