A new campaign "20mph Rule Outside Schools" is being launched during September 2014 focussing on making roads safer in communities.

GoSafe - The Wales Road Casualty Reduction Partnership - will be enforcing 20mph areas and educating drivers about the importance of adhering to the relevant limit. The campaign is principally aimed at reducing risk to young persons and supporting local communities with September being a key time for children at the start of the academic year.

The 20mph areas, both zones and limits, have been around for a considerable time, it is important that drivers understand that the 20mph areas are to improve safety.

Failure to keep within the limit puts children at risk, and leaves drivers liable to prosecution.

GoSafe will be focusing enforcement around 20mph areas outside schools in September. Better enforcement within these areas will increase compliance to the speed limit and contribute to the safety of the roads in Wales.

Slower speeds in communities have also been shown to support people to become more active, through increased cycling and walking. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) while there is a 20% chance of fatal injury when someone is hit by a car travelling at 30mph, this reduces to just 2.5% if the car is travelling at 20mph.

Chris Hume, Partnership Manager, GoSafe said: "The launch of "20mph Rule Outside Schools" will help road users to stop, think and kill their speed, encouraging all local people who use the roads to have greater respect not only for one another but also their surrounding community. We will continue to work together with our partners on community engagement activities to make the streets outside schools safer. Our aim is for everyone in Wales to understand the effects that those exceeding the 20mph limit can have on families and friends".

"The motoring public should be aware that we will also continue to enforce both the limit and other traffic offences such as mobile phone and seatbelt use which will link in with the TISPOL and Think campaigns scheduled for September".

"Tim Burton, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Dyfed Powys, said: "The lives of too many young people are put at risk due to bad driving. Every motorist should take this 20mph message on board; it will help avoid personal tragedy and family heartbreak on our roads".

Deputy Chief Constable Carl Langley, ACPO lead for Road Safety across Wales has supported this campaign on behalf of the four Welsh police forces. “Our children are potentially vulnerable around schools for a combination of reasons such as inconsiderate parking, focussing on friends rather than the road, and of course, drivers who exceed speed limits which are there to increase the safety of all road-users"

"Speed limits are just that – limits – and around schools, 30mph can be too quick. The stopping distance on a dry road and in good conditions at 30mph is 23 metres or six car lengths. At 20mph, this is reduced by half to just 12 metres or three car lengths. This demonstrates the importance of the 20mph limits around schools and supports our intention to enforce these 20mph limits throughout this campaign"

Susan Storch, Chair of Road Safety Wales said; "Children are potentially amongst the most vulnerable road users because of their age and lack of experience in certain situations. Reducing speeds outside schools will encourage children to walk and cycle to school, reduce congestion and improve the residential environment. Working with our partners in GoSafe we want to remind drivers and riders that lower speeds provide a safer road environment".

GoSafe adheres to Welsh Government and ACPO guidelines, but would ask all drivers to be aware - there are no enforcement free times and no enforcement free locations. All enforcement sites are dealt with on a case by case basis.