FREE Webinar – Driving Safely in Spring – Biker Aware

Posted on April 6, 2025 by olderdriversforum

Saturday 26 April 10:00am Community Webinar

‘DRIVING SAFELY IN SPRING. BIKER AWARE.’

April marks the start of the motorcycle riding season with many more bikers out on Gloucestershire’s rural roads.

Motorcyclists are one of the most vulnerable road user groups in our county. From 2019 to 2023 Highways report they are the cohort with the second highest number of fatalities only after car drivers. In this period 25 and 16% of all fatalities were motorcyclists.

This webinar will provide preventative awareness advice on how to drive more safely in spring, with a special feature of on how to be more aware of the vulnerabilities of motorcyclists. Following up on our previous webinar on post-crash response, we also include advice on what action to take at the scene of a crash involving a motorcyclist.

We are delighted to welcome back as our guest presenter ‘Rossy’ Simon Ross MBE. He is a retired police officer who spent most of his career on traffic duties. He is now a RoSPA and IAM Examiner and delivers BikeSafe and Biker Down! courses in Gloucestershire.

Please share this information with anyone you think it would be of value.

Older Drivers Forum on BBC Morning Live – Retiring from Driving

Posted on March 26, 2025 by olderdriversforum

Today, Wednesday 26th March 2025, BBC Morning Live ran a piece about when to retire from driving hosted by Angela Rippon. To watch the piece on BBC I-Player click here. The piece starts at 38:20

During the programme they spoke to 85 year old Rose and her daughter Rachel. Rose decided to retire from driving as she no longer felt confident behind the wheel. Our national chair, Rob Heard MBE, also appeared talking about eyesight and driving as well as how we can make sure we are medically fit to drive.
Rose made this decision to retire from driving with her daughter after attending an online webinar ran by the Gloucestershire Older Drivers Forum called ‘Concerned about an Older Driver? We can help?’
This is an extremely positive and supportive webinar for not only mature and older drivers, but also concerned family and friends, it is well worth a watch. Below is link to a recorded version of the webinar.

If you would like to join one of the regular webinars ran by Gloucestershire Older Drivers Forum which are FREE and open to anyone across the country, then click here. the next webbing is on Saturday 26th March and is titled ‘Driving Safely in Spring. Rural Roads Special’

Gloucestershire Older Drivers Forum win richly deserved award

Posted on March 24, 2025 by olderdriversforum

Impact Awards 210325

We are pleased and proud to announce that the Gloucestershire Older Drivers Forum have been given a well deserved award.

On 21 March at the Gloucestershire Constabulary and Police Crime Commissioner’s Impact Awards the Older Drivers Forum for Gloucestershire were honoured to receive the Caroline Symes Memorial Bowl in recognition of outstanding voluntary work for the Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership.

The award was presented by Maggie Blyth, T/Chief Constable and Roger Deeks DL, Vice Lord-Lieutenant.

They share this accolade and give thanks to all their partners and supporters.

Since 2018 they have delivered 122 presentations and webinars to over 4,300 attendees. Our monthly social media viewings run in the thousands. And the results of all this work?

Gloucestershire is now a positive outlier in terms of road casualties of drivers in 70+ age group. Nationally 23% of all road fatalities are drivers in this age group. The last death in a road collision in this age group in Gloucestershire was 5 November 2022.

Last year serious injuries in this age group were down 35%. But they cannot rest on our laurels.

By 2030 the pensioner population in Gloucestershire is estimated to increase by 26% with more entering a more vulnerable stage in their driving lives. All these will need the support and advice they provide.

Their next webinar on ‘Rural Roads safety’ is on 29 March. To register visit https://tinyurl.com/57tarfur

The National Chair for the Older Drivers Forum, Rob Heard, said on hearing the good news – ” Nigel and Alexandra Lloyd-Jones, who run the Gloucestershire Older Drivers Forum, richly deserve this award and recognition for the outstanding work and commitment they have given to make the roads safer for mature motorists in Gloucestershire. I know through their advice, support and care they have saved many lives and made a huge difference to many. They truly are an inspiration to many nationally, I am sure this is the first of many awards to come in the future. Well done and huge congratulations.”

Rural Roads Special – FREE webinar

Posted on March 7, 2025 by olderdriversforum

Spring 2025

Saturday 29 March 10:00am Community Webinar

DRIVING SAFELY IN SPRING

RURAL ROADS SPECIAL

With the clocks going forward on 30 March many more vulnerable road users such as walkers, cyclists, and horse riders will be out on our rural roads.

In 2024 Gloucestershire horse riders reported 54 road incidents, including close passes. This represents a 16% increase on 2023. Also, in 2024 three horses and two people were injured.

This webinar will include a refresh on the Highway Code rules introduced in January 2022 which are intended to make our roads safer for vulnerable road users. The webinar will also draw on advice from the ‘Rural Road Code’ initiative led by NFU Mutual and in which the Older Drivers Forum have contributed content for mature drivers.

We are honoured that our guest presenter is Alan Hiscox, Director of Safety for the British Horse Society. Alan has led the society’s award winning ‘Dead Slow’ campaign. He had 32 years police experience, 26 of which were with one of the biggest Mounted Police Units in the world.

Please share this information with anyone you think it would be of value and is open to anyone across the Country