This week, from the 17^th to the 23^rd of November, is Road Safety Week 2014.

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Organised by independent road safety charity, Brake, the focus of this year’s Road Safety Week is ‘look out for each other’ to help tackle the worrying statistic that five people are killed on our roads every day in the UK.

In previous years there has been significant progress in the reduction of deaths and serious injuries on our roads, however, there have been sharp increases in 2014. Figures released by the Government in October show that deaths and serious injuries rose by 4% in the first quarter of the year, compared to 2013, with cyclist causalities rising by 18% in comparison with last spring. In Scotland, 172 people were killed and 1,667 seriously injured on the roads last year.

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As a keen cyclist myself, I understand how enjoyable cycling can•be. However, I•also•know•that it can be dangerous and these•recent figures demonstrate the importance of prioritising road safety. Campaigns like this one are a fantastic way of promoting the issue.

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This year, Brake are specifically calling for action against ‘selfish driving’ and to highlight the protection of people cycling and walking. Research undertaken by Brake has shown that almost a million fixed penalty notices were issued for careless driving and speeding offences in 2013.

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We are all responsible for safety on our roads, and this campaign highlights the continuing importance of prioritising these issues in Edinburgh and across the UK.

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You can show your support by tweeting using the hashtags, #RoadSafetyWeek and #LookingOutForEachOther on both Facebook and Twitter.

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For information, go to the Brake website here – http://www.brake.org.uk/