ROAD SAFETY: 56 child casualties on Swindon streets every year
New figures have been unveiled
Last updated 17th Jun 2021
The true extent of child casualties on Swindon's roads has been revealed.
Since 2015, there have been an average of 56 crashes involving kids across the town every single year.
That is according to new research from BRAKE, the road safety charity.
The figures come as an estimated 2,500 children across the South West participated in a march this week, raising awareness of the dangers they face on streets across the region.
Children walked in a crocodile formation, holding hands to highlight the importance of being able to walk without fear or threat from traffic.
The march is part of a nationwide project from BRAKE. It's teaming-up with kids TV character 'Shaun the Sheep', to teach youngsters key road safety messages.
'Every road death or injury is one too many'
The data for Swindon show that the problem has not been tackled effectively in recent years. In 2015, the town saw 53 crashes that involved children. In 2019, the corresponding figure was 52.
Scott Williams, head of programme delivery at Brake, said: “It’s every child’s right to be able to walk in their community without fear of traffic and pollution.
"Throughout the pandemic, families have taken to the streets on foot and by bike and we hope these activities will continue as restrictions lift and ordinary road traffic returns.
"Although numbers of children killed or injured in the South West shows positive signs of decline, every road death or injury is one too many and causes devastation for families, schools and communities".
BRAKE is now urging the government to roll-out safe and environmentally friendly roads through a range of measures. They include upgrading footpaths and cycle paths, as well as introducing more places to cross - and incentivising clean traffic.