Sponsored by
Fatalities fall on Lancashire roads
The number of people killed and injured on Lancashire's roads has fallen to its lowest level for at least 15 years.
But caution was urged over the findings today, which show the county has the sixth highest number of accidents in the country.
And they come after a council report which claims Lancashire "performs badly" compared to other authorities when it comes to the number of children under-15 killed on the roads.
The figures, released by the Department for Transport, reveal there were 7,199 fatalities and slight and serious injury accidents in Lancashire in 2008.
That is a fall of 505 on 2007 figures. There were 7,900 incidents in 2006.
But only the Metropolitan Police area, Greater Manchester, Sussex, Thames Valley and the West Midlands had higher accident figures.
There were 74 fatalities in Lancashire in 2008, 855 serious injury accidents and 6,720 minor injury accidents.
A spokesman for the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety said comparing the figures has to be done with caution because even a single bad accident can cause a spike.
She added: "It is good news, we are well on target to meet the Department for Transport 2010 road casualty reduction target.
"Education and enforcement has to work hand in hand and that has always been our priority.
"The number of people who are actually being caught on camera has fallen and we know there has been a casualty reduction at camera sites.
"They might only be small reductions but they are reductions. Cameras are not the only thing we are doing.
"The police are actively involved in enforcing seatbelt use and countering drink-driving. The education is slowly getting through."
Figures released by police last week showed that while the number of people breathalysed in June this year had risen massively compared to last June, the number of people failing or refusing the tests has fallen.
In total 214 people failed or refused a breath test out of the 6,164 people who were tested. Last year 4.6% of people tested failed or refused and this year that figure is 3.4%.
But Hugh Bladon, of the Association of British Drivers (ABD), said: "We are not in the least bit surprised that the number of people being killed has reduced.
"It should have done because the number of people travelling has reduced enormously and less traffic means fewer accidents.
"I don't think anyone should be crowing about it. We absolutely advocate that the way to tackle this is not just fining people two weeks after the event.
"Let's get cameras off the road, more police back on the road."
DFT figures, however, indicate reduced traffic levels nationally - between the first quarter of 2008 and 2009 - of around 3.5%. Serious incidents fell by more than 7%.
The figures come following a Lancashire County Council scrutiny report on road safety for children and young people.
The report, which was debated by councillors earlier this month, says despite Lancashire being well on track to hit targets for reducing child casualties and injuries, the county is lagging behind other UK areas.
And among its recommendations it calls for more traffic-dedicated police officers on the county's roads.
For more on this issue see Friday's Lancashire Evening Post.
>>Speed limits to fall on 80 roads
>> Vote in our latest web poll
lepbusiness: News from the Lancashire business community
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Preston
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: 3 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 2 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
