County Council Calls More Road Users To Make Safety A Priority

Road users in North Yorkshire have been urged to ensure safety is their top priority after new figures revealed the number of deaths due to collisions on the area’s routes were up by more than 60 per cent in 2013.

According to the statistics compiled by road safety analysts at North Yorkshire County Council,  the total of 51 deaths last year was the highest in seven years and followed the all-time low recorded in 2012.

The research also revealed that the number of motorcyclists killed in road collisions trebled from five in 2012 to 16 in 2013, while the number of pedal cyclists killed or injured also increased across the period.

Deputy Chief Constable Tim Madgwick of North Yorkshire Police said he was “extremely concerned” by the increase in deaths and serious injuries.

He added: “By raising awareness about this serious issue, we want all road users to play a key role in helping our efforts. We are urging drivers, motorcyclists and people riding pedal cycles not only to pay attention to their own behaviour, but also to make themselves alert to other people using the roads.”

Expert Opinion

To see such a significant increase is clearly a massive concern and it is vital that the local authority continues to work closely with its partners to actively promote the road safety message and assess what other steps could be taken to make routes in the region safer. <br/> <br/>"Any number of deaths in road traffic collisions is simply too many and behind each and every one is a family or community left devastated by the loss of a loved one. <br/> <br/>"In our cases, we also see the catastrophic life-changing consequences that serious injuries as a result of crashes can have on victims and actively work to ensure they get the support and rehabilitation they need to get the best from life. <br/> <br/>"Road safety should never be ignored and motorists and local authorities both have a responsibility to ensure the issue remains at the top of the agenda." Cathryn Godfrey - Associate