Authorities in Cornwall aim to reduce road deaths down to zero by 2040
Over 500 died on road in the county over the past ten years.
Last updated 25th Sep 2020
Authorities across Devon, Cornwall and the Isle of Scilly are backing a campaign aimed at drastically reducing road deaths.
Emergency services, local authorities, NHS Trusts and charities across the region have signed up to be part of ‘Vision Zero’.
The aim of the campaign is to reduce the number of people killed and critically injured on the roads of Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly by 50 per cent in the next decade.
The initiative was launched at locations in Devon, Torbay, Plymouth and Cornwall with a focus on different areas of road safety, including on how it will coincide with the major operation on the A38.
Devon and Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner, Alison Hernandez also has a national role promoting road safety.
The portfolio holder for road safety is surveying people about their views about roads policing to feedback to government on the issue.
“Between 2009 and 2018 534 people died and 6,272 were seriously injured on the roads in Devon and Cornwall," she said.
"The trauma, loss and devastation that these numbers illustrate cannot be overstated. We believe no one should be killed or seriously injured as a consequence of using our roads and we have a moral duty to work together to preserve life, prevent harm and make our communities safer.
“We recognise that radical change is required to make this happen. This requires agencies to work alongside communities to find sustainable solutions.
“The way to progress is to renew efforts which encourage better driving practices, educate specific road user groups about the potential dangers, develop better responses to road traffic collisions and, critically, engage the public in being part of the solution.”
Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner, Alison Hernandez
The Association of Police and Crime Commissioner’s road safety survey is running until September 30, 2020, and can be found online here.
“If you’re riding a motorcycle, you are 57 times more likely to be killed than when you’re driving a car when you’re involved in an accident. Six people a year die on our roads on motorcycles.
“We’re working with the partnership to look after the motorcycle end of it down here in Cornwall. Our first campaign is to put posters up at areas where there have been accidents – just to remind people going by that they should take a bit of care.
“We’re getting involved with the Institute of Advanced Motorcycling to offer subsidies to the courses they run to provide training. This is aimed at the older people in their 40s… to give them some education on what to do, how to handle it and what equipment they need.
“Through Cornwall Fire and Rescue there's ‘Think Bike’ where we are campaigning to be ready for an accident if it happens. If you're out with your friends someone ought to have a haemorrhage pack; someone ought to know what to do when you're in a collision.
“We recently allocated someone who had been on one of these courses who wasn't out with friends and just happened to see an accident and was able to deal with the guy who was lying on the road and saved his life because minutes are priceless when you're waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
“The real problem we have is the younger people, the under 25’s who don't pay a lot of attention to what Cornwall Council says and aren't very interested in us. We've joined a national campaigning group which has been working with younger people and we’re trying to learn from them about how we can reach out to these people and basically offer them some advice and assistance on being safer”.
Rob Nolen, Cabinet member for Environment and Public Protection at Cornwall Council