Background
AIRSO was formed in 1965 to provide support for individuals working in the area of road safety; particularly within industry and as a means by which the views among professional colleagues could be exchanged. Membership of AIRSO has since developed and is open to any person whose work is in any way connected with the promotion of road safety. As such the breadth of the Membership provides a high level of professionalism and expertise.
AIRSO became a registered
charity in 1996 and is an independent
Membership organisation working in the interests of road safety, highly respected
in the field within the public, private and voluntary sectors. AIRSO is
consulted by statutory and non-statutory organisations on road safety issues.
Members represent a wide cross-section, including commercial transport, fleet
management, driver training, independent and local government road safety organisations,
the armed services, the emergency services and enforcement agencies.
The Functioning of AIRSO
AIRSO conducts
its high profile road safety work via a Road
Safety Group which comprises a number of Portfolio
Holders who have been appointed to head up the work of the
Association in the areas of Law, Motorcycling, Education, Training & Publicity,
Public Service Vehicles and Training, Large Goods Vehicles and
Training, Car and Light Goods Vehicles and Training, Managing
Occupational Road Risk, Emergency Services, Safety, Traffic and
Highway Engineering, Infrastructure and Sustainable Transport
and Vehicle Safety. In addition, the Road Safety Group is supported
by eight members elected annually by the Membership.
AIRSO has excellent working relationships with the Department for Transport, Driving Standards Agency (DSA), Vehicle and Operators Services Agency (VOSA), and the Highways Agency who regularly consult the Association on issues of national importance.
It also has strong links with many other Road Safety Organisations such as the Institute of Advanced Motorists, the Driving Instructors Association, the Motors Schools Association, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the RAC, the AA, the Guild of Experience Motorists, the Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association.
AIRSO is a Member of the Parliamentary Council for Transport Safety, The National Road Safety Committee, The London Accident Prevention Council, the Occupational Road Risk Alliance and Roadsafe. In addition it is frequently invited to serve on Working Groups to consider road safety issues which impact both on a national and international basis.
AIRSO is a signatory to the European Road Safety Charter.
Aims & Objectives
The Strategic Aim of AIRSO is:
- To advance education and training among all road users in the furtherance of accident prevention and reduction.
Underpinning this strategy are a series of tactical
objectives:
- To provide a professional Association for those individuals involved
in work and promotion of Road Safety within commerce, industry, public
service and other associated organisations.
- To develop and maintain amongst its membership a high performance in the promotion of work connected with the reduction of road accidents and casualties.
- To provide a platform for the exchange of information relating to accident prevention schemes and road safety practices.
- To promote investigation and research into road safety problems surrounding aspects of Road User Education and Training alongside vehicle occupant safety and the improvement of the road environment.
- To present opinions and recommendations on matters related to road safety to appropriate government bodies and other agencies.
