Special PSNI New Year plea to motorists after "heartache" of 2017
Drivers warned to be extra careful on roads after 2017 fatality figures
One of Northern Ireland’s top PSNI road traffic officers today delivered a New Year warning after what she has branded a “very difficult” 12 months for many motorists and their families.
Chief Inspector Diane Pennington is urging drivers to be extra vigilant on the province’s roads during 2018 in a bid to end the “heartache” for many families in 2017.
In a special message to motorists across the province she said: “Pleas always pay attention to your surroundings.
“Drive within the speed limit and in accordance with the road conditions.
“Don’t be using your mobile phone while driving and always wear your seat-belt. It could save your life.”
Chief Inspector Pennington was speaking to Downtown & Cool FM as figures show there were 63 fatalities on roads hear last year.
In the majority of cases – 25 – the driver was killed and the PSNI's confirmed human error is the most common cause for collisions.
Twelve passengers also died in crashes in 2017.
Chief Inspector Pennington added: “It is worth saying we still have to think of those 63 families and friends of the people who died have who have had a very difficult year – they are going to feel the impact of this for the rest of their lives.
“Quite frankly this is heart-breaking – we have officers who are having to go deliver messages that a loved one who has been killed or seriously injured particularly with Christmas just passed, it is an awful time of the year to have to do that.
“Families are having to live with this for the rest of their lives.
“Sometimes we forget the people who are serious injured – they can be left with conditions that are life changing which will affect their career their family life for the rest of their lives.”
Statistics also show that 15 pedestrians also lost their lives last year.
And during 2017, nine motorcyclists died – a rise of five on both the previous two years’ figures.
Once again, rural roads were the most dangerous with 43 people killed on them in 2017.
The district with the highest number of fatalities was Newry and Mourne where 13 people died, contrasting with Antrim and Newtownabbey where there were two fatalities.
Two and a half times as many men were killed in crashes as women (45 to 18), while those aged between 25-64 were the group most at risk at dying on our roads.
November was the most dangerous month to be on the roads as nine people died, by contrast the month with the lowest number of fatalities was December, where there was one death - a big drop on previous years.
Of the 63 people who died, 13 pensioners were pensioners and four were children under the age of 16.