The Sovereign Base Area Police have revealed the Road Safety Action Plan adopted over the Christmas and New Year period paid off as road collisions dropped to minimal levels.

The island-wide effort was launched to combat what is normally a busy time for police officers as more and more people take to the roads and drink driving becomes more of a problem.
Between December 15 and January 11, police officers targeted ‘hot-spot’ areas where historically more road traffic incidents have occurred.

During the period, police reported only 11 collisions, a drop of 56% when compared to the same time last year when records show 25 accidents occurred.

Police officers have put the success of the initiative down to a number of reasons: “It (the success) is a result of prevention and enforcement activities such as seminars on road safety, the distribution of educational leaflets, a high visibility police presence on the streets and enhanced road checks affecting vehicles and drivers,” a spokesperson for the SBA Police said.
Over the holiday period a total of 132 road side breath tests were carried out in both the ESBA and WSBA Divisions, with five drivers now facing prosecution after testing positive for too much alcohol.

A further 115 drivers were issued with Fixed Penalty Notices for speeding and 76 were given the opportunity to avoid prosecution by rectifying certain identified defects on their vehicles. A further 200 drivers received cautions for minor traffic offences.

The SBA Police spokesperson revealed: “A basic conclusion at the end of the day is that speed and alcohol abuse remain the basic contributory factors to causing road traffic collisions.

“We, the SBA Police, like to believe that public discipline and awareness, repeatedly raised last year through BFBS broadcasts on road safety, also played a crucial role which contributed to the goal being achieved.”

Cyprus weekly