Pupils have joined the call for drivers to slow down after the latest figures showed that one fifth of fatalities on North East roads involved a speeding driver.
Children from Timothy Hackworth Primary School in Shildon, in County Durham, have thrown their weight behind the campaign by Road Safety GB North East (RSGB NE) and police and fire services in appealing for motorists to slow down and look out for each other.
During the past five years, there have been 1,185 road casualties in the region where speed was a factor. Of them, 48 people were killed and 357 were seriously injured.
Of those collisions, two-thirds of the drivers were aged between 17 and 34, where their speed, coupled with a possible lack of experience, were seen as contributing factors, particularly in poor weather conditions.
The figures showed that half of these collisions happened within three miles of the driver’s home and within a 30mph limit, showing that people are likely to speed on smaller roads they are very familiar with.
As County Durham is a large, rural county, with a number of ‘A’ roads, it would be expected to have a higher incidence of collisions, including those due to speeding.
For more information about Road Safety GB North East, road safety advice and campaigns, go to:
Photo: Raising awareness, Timothy Hackworth Primary School’s Junior Road Safety Officers pictured with teacher Mrs Dykes.
