Deaths and serious injuries on roads in the South West are on the rise
Charity Brake say the 'carnage must end' as it marks this year's Road Safety Awareness Week with these new stats
Across the South West of England, deaths and serious injuries on our roads are on the rise.
That's according to the latest data from the road safety charity, Brake, who is calling for 'safer roads for all' for Road Safety Week 2022.
They say people on foot, bicycles and motorcycles facing particular risk, thanks to analysing the latest numbers from crash data on roads throughout the South West.
This Road Safety Week, Brake are now calling on everyone to re-read the Highway Code - which changed earlier this year, so people on bike or on foot are given greater priority.
Stats across South West England
- Between 2020 and 2021, the number of people killed or seriously injured on Britain's roads increased by 19 per cent - nationally, that compares to around 14 percent across the whole of the UK
- 706 out of the 2,291 (nearly 1 in 3) road deaths or serious injuries were cyclists or pedestrians - an increase of 18% between 2020 and 2021
- 558 out of the 1,125 (nearly 1 in 2) road deaths or serious injuries were cyclists or pedestrians on roads with speed limits of 30mph or less
- 5 times more cyclists or pedestrians were killed or seriously injured on roads with 30mph limits than on 20mph roads
- 553 out of 2,291 (nearly 1 in 4) road deaths or serious injuries were motorcyclists - and increased by 20% between 2020 and 2021; compared to 16% nationally
*Statistics supplied by Brake, and based on data from the Department for Transport's traffic statistics tool
Nationally, Government figures show a post-pandemic increase in road deaths and injuries in Britain in 2021 compared with 2020.
There were 1,558 deaths on roads in 2021, a 7% increase compared with 2020. There were 25,892 serious injuries, meaning for every death there were more than 16 serious injuries.
The United Nations target is a reduction of 50% in deaths and serious injuries on roads by 2030. Casualty reduction in Britain in recent years has been occurring at a slower rate than other European nations, and has now increased.
Mary Williams OBE, chief executive of Brake, the road safety charity, which runs the National Road Victim Service, caring for bereaved and seriously injured road victim families, said: “The carnage on roads, that takes lives indiscriminately, devastates families, and causes appalling injuries, must end. No death or serious injury on roads is acceptable.
"Brake's National Road Victim Service sees the devastation caused by road crashes, which strike at the heart of families. We can and must all work together to stop these appalling tragedies and make our roads safe for all."
"We are appealing to everyone, particularly drivers, employers and communities, to shout out for Safe Roads for All in Road Safety Week and every week. Whether you are a driver slowing down, an employer introducing more safe driving policies, or a community working with a local authority for a 20mph limit, we can all make a difference."
You can find out more about the work of the road safety charity, Brake, and the 2022 Road Safety Week here.