In the second week of June the three Welsh Fire and Rescue Service's are joining with other Fire and Rescue Services across the UK for a national week of activity promoting road safety to local communities.

The overarching message of this year's UK Road Safety Week is: 'Be Safe Out There' and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service is supporting the week by targeting four main groups:

• Cyclists
• Motorcyclists
• Pedestrians
• Young drivers.

During the week, Fire and Rescue Services across the UK will be working to get road safety messages across to all road users, and in particular to pedestrians, young drivers, cyclists and motorcyclists. Accidents on the road affect not just the individual - the lives of families can be destroyed by losing a loved one, or changed forever by having to care for a family member with life-changing injuries.

The Welsh Fire and Rescue Services will be at:

• Wednesday 11th June 2014 - Coleg Powys, Newtown. SY16 4HU - 10am - 2pm
• Wednesday 11th June 2014 - Penygloddfa Primary School, Newtown. SY16 2DF - 2:30pm - 4:30pm
• Friday 13th June 2014 - Queen Street, Cardiff. CF10 2HQ - 9am - 1pm
• Friday 13th June 2014 - Cambria College, Grove Park Road, Wrexham. LL12 7AB -  11am - 3pm

On Friday, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and North Wales Police are launching a new two day course, 'Revolution',  aimed at educating young drivers aimed 16 - 25 who have been involved in or subject to driving offences in their area. The interactive courses will cover various aspects such as the consequences of fatal or serious injury road traffic collisions on the drivers, their passengers and their family and friends as well as the type of psychological, punative and financial impacts being involved in a road traffic collision can bring

Also, during the week, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service are holding Road Safety Events highlighting the dangers of travelling on the roads in rural Wales. We will be holding Community Safety talks with Young Farmers Clubs and local Youth Groups throughout the week.

• Road Safety, Phoenix Education,  9th-13th June

Paul Fuller, President of the Chief Fire Officers Association, said: "We know that the fire and rescue service has already helped to improve road safety, through targeted local educational programmes, and that FRSs are world leaders in casualty care and extrication techniques after Road Traffic Collisions. This week of events and activities will allow us to engage with partners and our local communities to work towards our ultimate goal of zero deaths and reduced injuries on UK Roads."

Alison Kibblewhite, Head of Risk Reduction, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said "South Wales Fire and Rescue Service is working in partnership with Mid and West Wales and North Wales Fire and Rescue Service to educate and raise awareness of road safety to people whether on foot, on bicycles, on motorbikes or in cars. Road crashes are a major cause of death and life changing injury amongst young people. There is also danger from traffic to those who like to walk or cycle."

Neil Evans, Powys Community Safety Manager said 'Educating today's drivers will influence and hopefully reduce the number of deaths and injuries in the future'.

Huw Jakeway, Chief Fire Officer for South Wales Fire and Rescue  said, "We work closely with our communities throughout the year to advise on a number of safety issues effecting them. Road safety is always key to our talks, particularly to young people who are statistically more at risk. It makes sense to support the road safety week, which is highlighting the dangers to young drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians. Hopefully the messages we give out will be strengthened by national publicity during this week which will help people remember the messages.

Local Government and Government Business Minister, Lesley Griffiths AM said:
 "We are committed to improving road safety and reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on Welsh roads and I am pleased the three Welsh Fire and Rescue Authorities have planned events to mark Road Safety Week, between the 10th and 13th of June.

"Education and prevention is the way forward to preventing injuries and death on our roads and it's good to see the Fire and Rescue Authorities are playing their part in achieving this.  It is important we educate all our road users, including young people, on road safety and how to keep safe on our roads."

Simon Smith, Chief Fire Officer, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: ""All three fire and rescue services attend a high number of road traffic collisions - and we are doing all that we can to educate our young drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists and drive down the number of tragedies on our roads.

"All Wales road safety events have proved to be an excellent way of getting people to think about the consequences of their driving, and by working in partnership, we want to get across to these key target groups vital and potentially lifesaving messages."