East Riding roads safer than ever
SERIOUS injuries and deaths on the East Riding's roads are now at an all-time low following a series of safety campaigns.
But police are warning they will not let up in the drive to cut casualties on local routes, despite the reduction in injuries year on year.
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PC Glen Dennis at the roadside
Newly-confirmed figures reveal there were 195 serious casualties, including 23 fatalities, on the East Riding's roads in 2009.
This compares to totals of 241 serious casualties in 2008 and 267 in 2007.
Humberside Police casualty reduction officer PC Glen Dennis believes high visibility safety campaigns, which target drivers and motorcyclists on key routes, are having an impact.
He said: "We would like to think the reduction in casualties is as result of all the hard work in the campaigns to improve driver behaviour and standards.
"We are more highly visible on the roads, we are in public view more often and we are encouraging better driving through enforcement and education."
Educational schemes, such as referral schemes for young drivers who commit offences, as an alternative to prosecution, are among initiatives designed to improve driver behaviour.
Police are also working together with other agencies, including the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), on schemes such as roadside checks.
The target is to reduce numbers killed or seriously injured to 182 or less this year.
PC Dennis said: "We have several thousand miles of road to cover in the East Riding and we are working closely with other agencies, such as VOSA and Safer Roads Humber, to reduce casualties.
"People will continue to see a high level of police activity on the roads, we also have covert and unmarked vehicles in operation.
"But drivers also have a responsibility to themselves and other motorists to drive safely and carefully."
Young drivers remain a key focus for casualty reduction work."
9 Comments
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by Arthur, Ezzle Road
Sunday, March 21 2010, 12:42AM
“First - many thanks to all the police - and all the hidden support staff too! - who do a difficult job on the whole extremely well. We never ever get to hear about the good things our police do.
Beth - point taken but statistically young driver do cause more issues - the baseball cap brigade - however the BNW set are just as bad - racing to their next drug deal or business appointment.
Ranter - excellent point about the potholes - this must be the council's twisted logic - save money not putting those idiot speed bumpos and let the roads fall into rack and ruin - hey presto - the potholes are more effective than speed bumps or speed cameras.
Oswald - yes very witty...nice one, I'm sure our boys in blue will also see the funny side.”
by oswald, hull
Saturday, March 20 2010, 7:25PM
“is the "police slow" sign a confession ?”
by Beth Mars, Hull
Saturday, March 20 2010, 6:36PM
“I am absolutely outraged that police are targetting young drivers and bikers! As a young person myself who has a passion for bikes I feel very victimised just because of my age and passion. Young drivers & bikers are not the cause of accidents, idiotic drivers who need to read the highway code again are. My entire family are bikers and they are the most careful drivers I know, I admit some young drivers are bad but I hate to be tarred with the same brush. We are not all bad. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels the same.”
by Jonesbby, Hull
Saturday, March 20 2010, 2:46PM
“Dave... I would much rather deal with the low life criminals who go around mugging and burgling than traffic offences (unless they are obviously stupid & dangerous). The problem I have is how many times do I have to arrest the same person, for the same offence for them to go in front of the magistrate / judges and be told don't do it again. slap on the wrist.
Dave, your misguided if you think the police sit on their @rses waiting for someone to give a ticket too. I haven't given a ticket out since Christmas but i've locked up a number of people for burglary & assaults in that time but then the public are never told about that!”
by Dave, Hull
Saturday, March 20 2010, 12:27PM
“So the police will continue to concentrate on an area where we have about the best record in Europe instead of areas where we have the worst record. Still, it is easier to sit in a car concentrating on motorists instead of dealing with rapists, muggers and other violent criminals or having to actual do some police worl and find burglars etc.
It is obvious a lot of the credit goes to safer cars, stronger construction, better brakes etc.
The year the driving test was introduced there were 7,000 road deaths with just over 2 million vehicles on the road. Now, with 27 million vehicles on the road the deaths were about 3,500 which at the 1935 rate would have lead to 94,500 deaths.
What a shame all the other crime figures haven't come down to the same extent instead of rocketing up the other way.
Still, let's concentrate on the motorists. And indulge in a nice little earner.”