Safer Roads Humber Partnership spearheading new drive to cut road casualties

A total of 41 deaths and 434 seriously injured was the figure across the Humberside Police force area last year and the partnership will be increasing its enforcement activities over the next months.

In addition, Humberside Police will be tackling a wide range of traffic offences including not being in proper control, red light offences and drink and drug driving offences.

The partnership is reminding all road users to ‘Share The Road’ and to look out for each other.

Between 2000 and 2010, the number of people injured on the region’s roads reduced considerably, from 4,597 to 3,519.

However, over the past decade, this reduction has slowed with on average 2,673 people injured each year between 2017 and 2021.

The number of people killed or seriously injured has stagnated, with on average of 534 deaths and serious injuries each year.

Ian Robertson, partnership manager with the Safer Roads Humber Partnership, said: “Over the last 20 years we have seen a reduction in the number of people killed or injured on the region’s roads, however, this has now plateaued, and so it is time for us to do something different and for all of society to think about how we work together to reduce casualties further.”

Even during the Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021, which resulted in 80% less traffic on the roads, on average 37 people were killed and 397 were seriously injured across Humberside’s roads.

The partnership said this is not acceptable as many of these injuries are avoidable - by road users taking more care and obeying the rules of the road.

In the coming months, all the partners in Safer Roads Humber - this includes Humberside Police, the four unitary councils, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service and National Highways - will be using different approaches to reduce casualties.

The partnership will be focusing on the standard of driving as ultimately those who drive vehicles have the greatest responsibility to protect the most vulnerable: pedestrians, horse riders and those on two wheels.

The partnership’s enforcement activities will focus on, but will not be limited to, the ‘Fatal Four’ offences:

○ Driving at excessive and inappropriate speed,

○ Driving whilst distracted (eg using a mobile phone),

○ Nor wearing of seat belts,

○ Drink and drug driving, with the support of Humberside Police.

During 2021, safety cameras detected more than 48,000 motorists exceeding the speed limit across the region.

Approximately 50% of these undertook a speed awareness course, which is offered to drivers who meet certain criteria and allows them to reflect on their behaviour and driving style as the course provides a reminder of some of the rules of the road.

Mr Robertson added: “Clearly those motorists who exceed the speed limits or commit other road traffic offences are driving in a manner which is unacceptable, and they put others and themselves at risk.

“Their actions destroy lives.

“This behaviour significantly contributes to collisions causing the deaths and serious injuries that we are seeing.

“We will continue to do everything we can to change their behaviour through education and enforcement.”