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80pc of road victims hurt in a 30mph zone: Drop your speed, say police

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Published Date:
26 May 2009
ALMOST 80 per cent of people injured on Calderdale's roads last year were in a 30mph zone at the time, new figures show.
Calderdale's road safety officers and police are now calling for all road users, drivers and pedestrians, to take extra care.

The statistics have been released as Calderdale Council launch their pedestrian campaign, Walk Smart to improve people's knowledge of road safety and prevent pedestrian deaths and serious injuries.

Road traffic Sgt Garry Alderson said: "It's very clear from the figures that we all need to take much more care when travelling on a 30mph road.

"The reason roads are classified as 30mph is because of the hazards we all face as road users on these types of road, all sharing one space.

"If we could improve our behaviour and attitudes in 30mph areas we could see significant reductions in the numbers of people being killed and injured on our roads."

Calderdale Council will work with police and the NHS on the Walk Smart campaign.

Pedestrians accounted for 109 – 14 per cent – of all injuries on the district's roads last year, only behind car occupants who accounted for 543.

The council's pedestrian campaign will look at taking road safety back into schools, encourage parents to use reins or wrist straps when out with toddlers, work with the police to carry out more speed enforcement and work with older people's charities to spread key road safety messages.

Deputy road safety officer Kate Marsh said children, teenagers and the elderly were the most vulnerable age groups to be involved in an accident as a pedestrian but she said that all pedestrian casualties were less likely to suffer life threatening injuries if the vehicle was travelling at 30mph or less.

She said: "One thing is clear. The faster the vehicle is travelling when in collision with a pedestrian will often determine the level of injury sustained by that pedestrian.

"Remember that even at 30mph there's a 20 per cent chance that if you hit a pedestrian they will die as a result of that collision."


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  • Last Updated: 26 May 2009 3:39 PM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Halifax
 
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1

Barry Von Leotard,

26/05/2009 16:52:12
Increase speed limits then.
2

NickR,

26/05/2009 17:27:19
This is a typically fatuous statement that we always get regarding road safety.

There are no stated statistics relating to how many of the accidents were caused by vehicles traveling at speeds over the speed limit, nor any statistics relating to blame apportioned to the pedestrians involved.

Closer scrutiny of this type of statement is required.
3

Elliesdad,

26/05/2009 17:54:06
30mph zones probably account for 80% of the traffic, therefore I would expect this sort of figure for the accident / injury rate.

"Remember that even at 30mph there's a 20 per cent chance that if you hit a pedestrian they will die as a result of that collision." - If the pedestrian is not on the road, there's zero chance of being hit.
Lies, damned lies and statistics
4

Halifax Local,

26/05/2009 17:59:47
If this is the case, why have they started reducing national speed limit roads to 50mph and 50mph roads to 40mph?
5

Peter Avinou,

26/05/2009 18:11:07
So why all the speed cameras on previous off limit or higher limit roads?
They never admit that the number of accidents caused by speed are very low do they?
Shoot themselves in the foot every time they trot out these stats!
6

Titus Groan,

Herb Rush 26/05/2009 19:07:40
Teach drivers, especially taxi drivers, that the purpose of indicators are to let other drivers and pedestrians know that they are about to turn left or right from the road they are travelling on.

Put the use of indicators on the driving school curriculum.
7

plumber,

26/05/2009 19:26:55
I wonder how many coppers there are in the uk that can say they have no points on there licence, NOT MANY I BET!!
8

Mayor of Salterhebble,

26/05/2009 22:38:09
Maybe its because the vast majority of 30 mph roads are in urban areas where most of the pedestrians are ?
9

tictac,

27/05/2009 03:00:48
10 - i agree, agree with you all. I feel that people should use common sense like be more observent in areas where people might be walking about! Its a natural instinct to most of us drivers. I dont know how some of the idiots ive seen expect to stop in time should they need to. Also many believe they can see round corners and through parked cars it would seem.
10

michaelangelo,

Halifax 27/05/2009 07:27:10
Sgt Garry Alderson- He looks a right nasty piece of work i bet he is a right jobs worth looking down his nose at you and saying do you mind stepping out of the car
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