Hampshire Constabulary has joined forces with a local road safety partnership to highlight the dangers of the ‘fatal four’ in an effort to limit the number of road traffic collisions on the county’s roads.

Hampshire Police has worked with Project Pictogram, a road safety initiative endorsed and supported by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, to develop four symbols that depict the ‘fatal four’; speed, distraction, seatbelts and alcohol and drug use.

The symbols will feature on the back of vehicles as a constant reminder to drivers to always wear a seatbelt, stick to speed limits, never use a mobile phone at the wheel and never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

According to the Department for Transport, UK-wide there were 1,780 road deaths from September 2014 to September 2015. During 2014 over 5,600 road accidents were caused by drink driving.

Lisa Gunner, a serious injury solicitor at Thompsons Solicitors, said: “Education is key to improving road safety, and this initiative from Hampshire police is a simple measure that will hopefully prove effective in deterring drivers from reckless or careless behaviour on the roads through subtle and regular reminders of the ‘fatal four’.

“While campaigns such as this one play a vital role in improving road safety at a local level, the government cannot rely on one off initiatives of individual police forces. What we need is a robust UK-wide road safety strategy in place that is properly funded.”