Road Safety Week ( 22-28 November) is giving children a voice and their message is "Slow Down' in built up areas because slowing down in our communities can help to save lives.

Department for Transport statistics show that 5% of motorcycle accidents were caused by exceeding the speed limit and 8% of accidents were caused by riding too fast for the conditions.

Although speeding is not the biggest cause of accidents on the road, taking steps to slow down can help save lives. Slowing down is the single most important thing that riders and drivers can do in towns, villages, and around schools. The slower we move, the more chance we have to react to the unexpected.

Tips for safer speeds in urban areas:

Check your speed limits - if you aren't sure of speed limits then refer to the highway code for the signs and indicators that you can rely on, read the road signs and be aware that in urban areas speed limits can vary from 20mph - 40 mph
Adapt speed to conditions - Slowing down for safety doesn't just mean staying within speed limits. It also means slowing down when you're driving in high risk situations, such as in bad weather, when visibility is poor, and in places where there are likely to be vulnerable road users.
Time to react - Even if the limit is the typical urban 30mph,  20mph is a safer speed when you're driving in residential areas, or near to schools and community facilities like shops. At this speed, you have a better chance of being able to stop in time were a child to run out.

Steve Kenward, MCI's CEO commented. "Although motorcyclists are themselves vulnerable on the roads we all need to be aware of other vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists".

"Riding at a speed that is appropriate for the conditions is critical. Adopting slower speeds, in urban areas, is vitally important for safety because it gives you time to react and safely come to stop in an emergency. "
Road Safety Week is organized by the road safety charity Brake - for more information go to www.roadsafetyweek.org.