Throughout August, Devon & Cornwall Police are supporting National Road Victim month – an annual campaign organised by national charity, RoadPeace - to raise awareness about the number of people killed and seriously injured on roads in the UK.
As part of the campaign, RoadPeace has shared that an average of five people are killed and around 80 are seriously injured in UK road collisions every day.
In 2023, 689 people were seriously injured and 48 people sadly lost their lives as a result of collisions that occurred on roads in Devon and Cornwall.
During National Road Victim month, Acting Chief Constable Jim Colwell will be joining the Roads Policing team as part of a proactive patrol that will see officers targeting aspects of dangerous driving that puts other road users at risk.
Devon & Cornwall Police Acting Chief Constable Jim Colwell said: "Road collisions shatter lives and families, leaving behind a trail of devastation, but many collisions are preventable.
“As a force, we are committed to reducing the number of fatal and serious casualty collisions on our roads and will continue to work with partner agencies to carry out proactive operations that target dangerous drivers.”
Drivers caught committing offences could receive a fine and points on their license, a court appearance or even imprisonment for more serious offences.
Chief Constable Jim Colwell added, “It’s important to remember that road safety is a shared responsibility, and we would like to take this opportunity to ask all drivers and riders to play their part in helping us to keep our road network safe.
“Please take time to look out for other road users. I do not want any member of our community to experience the heartache of having one of my colleagues knock on their door to deliver the tragic news that a loved one has died or been seriously injured on our roads.”
Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, is also chair of the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership.
Commissioner Hernandez said: “Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy. These are not just numbers, these are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, children, best friends and loved ones.
“We believe every life lost on our roads is both unnecessary and avoidable, which is why all members of Vision Zero South West are striving to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030 – and eventually to zero.
“We know this is an ambitious target, but it’s one we are determined to achieve. As a partnership, we are working hard to save lives by investing in road safety infrastructure, devising innovative new projects to protect drivers and consulting communities about where they feel action is needed.
“To see for yourself what measures we’ve been taking, visit our website at www.visionzerosouthwest.co.uk.”
Nick Simmons, CEO of RoadPeace, said: “A shocking five people are killed and 80 are seriously injured, on average, on the UK’s roads each day. These crashes are especially heartbreaking because most of them can be prevented.
“For more than 30 years, RoadPeace has supported countless families through unimaginable trauma and grief following a road crash. They didn’t ever think that they would be a crash victim, but tragically, the reality is that it can happen to anyone.
“We are very grateful to Devon & Cornwall Police for supporting National Road Victim Month 2024 and for helping RoadPeace to raise awareness about the many needless deaths and injuries that occur every single day on our roads.”
For further information about road safety, visit the dedicated page on the force website: https://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rs/road-safety/
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