The TISPOL Bulletin

Welcome to our latest Bulletin.

We are busy working on an excellent and worthwhile programme for this year's conference. The theme is 'Expanding Our Horizons' and we are excited to be opening bookings for delegates, exhibitors and sponsors very soon. Thanks to everyone who contacted us to suggest speakers and topics. We are working through the submissions and will shortly share the line-up for what promises to be another great event. I look forward to seeing you there!

Meanwhile, I hope you will find the contents of this Bulletin useful and thought-provoking. If you have a story worth sharing, please feel free to email us and we will do our best to use it next time.

Ruth Purdie, TISPOL General Secretary

 

Digital tachograph workshop, Finland

Police officers from TISPOL and Euro Contrôle Route met in the Finnish city of Tampere recently for s two-day workshop exploring latest developments in digital tachograph manipulation techniques. 

The Police University College of Finland invited two members of the working group (Sven Kilian from the German Police in Koblenz and Fred Martin from Belgium Federal Traffic Police) as speakers for a course regarding digital tachograph manipulation.

Janne Salonen from the Police University College of Finland and Kaisa Kuusela from Police Department of Häme had an idea to develop and arrange this kind of course in Finland, because the places for participants to Masterclass are few and far between.

Full story >>

 

Please view and share our new 2018 Project EDWARD curtain-raiser video...

Project EDWARD 2018 takes place on Wednesday 19 September.

We are pursuing a number of possible opportunities for new Project EDWARD partnerships and will let you know what develops in the coming weeks. 

 

Germany: Braunschweig could get new 'floating' crossing

To increase road safety, a pedestrian crossing with a 3D visual effect might soon be seen in the north German city of Braunschweig - the first of its kind across the country. 

The white stripes with graphic effects are proposed to be painted on the road in Braunschweig’s Lehndorf district, where locals have been complaining that motorists drive too fast on a particular street despite a speed limit of 30 km/h and a traditional zebra crossing in place.

The concept originated in Iceland and has had moderate success, although motorists have quickly become used to the new technology, according to the inventor of the concept, Ralf Trylla.

It has also been introduced in Linz, Austria.

Full story >>

 

Spain: driver tests positive for 'every possible kind of drug'

TRAFFIC police in northern Spain were left in disbelief after a motorist tested positive for ‘every possible kind of drug.’ It comes as the Guardia Civil launched a crackdown on illegal street racing and ‘exhibitions of reckless driving’ on an industrial estate near O Campiño, Galicia.

Having set up a series of drug and alcohol controls, a 42-year-old man from Vigo was stopped due to his ‘suspicious’ driving style.

He tested positive for cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, methamphetamines and THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

 

Portugal: 'pointless' penalty system?

Figures out this week have revealed that only three per cent of drivers in Portugal who have committed serious or very serious traffic offences have had points added on to their licences, since the system came into force back in 2016. This comes after Portugal recorded a double-digit increase in road deaths in 2017, a large part of which has been attributable to reckless driving.

Home Minister Eduardo Cabrita (pictured above) told reporters the Government wanted to “launch a new and more ambitious way of implementing the national road safety plan”, which would include the current penalty points system.

Full story >>

UK: Prime Minister hints at restrictions on new drivers under graduated licence system

The Prime Minister, Theresa May, has suggested that the UK could introduced a graduated driving licence system that would place restrictions on new drivers in an effort to cut casualties on the roads.

Mrs May said she would ask the Department for Transport to look into a graduated licensing system – which could ban young motorist from carrying passengers or driving at night – after a question during last week’s Prime Minister’s Questions.

 

UK: your comments invited on Blue Light Aware safety video

Creators of the Blue Light Aware road safety video are inviting feedback from emergency service representatives and road safety professionals as they commence preparations for an updated version. 

The video gives advice to members of the public on how to stay safe and legal when making way for an emergency services vehicle. Since its launch in 2011, it has received Breary 500,000 views on Youtube, as well as many downloads. It is used by police driving schools to demonstrate best practice.

If you would like to review the current video and have any ideas about what should be included in a new version, do please complete the evaluation questionnaire, which only takes a few minutes.

Complete the questionnaire >>

 

And finally... a message of thanks from James, your TISPOL media adviser. James recently completed the training course to become a special constable with Dyfed-Powys Police and is now trying to commit as many hours as he can with the Roads Policing Unit in Brecon.

James trained alongside SC Tom Price, another volunteer from the same village. "I'm grateful for the encouragement and support I have received from family and friends, as well as from across the TISPOL community," he said.