‘Remarkable’ drop in county road deaths continues in 2018

THE “remarkable” downward trend in road deaths in Leicestershire last year has continued into 2018 – but safety experts remain unsure why.

Ten people, including drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians, have been killed in collisions so far this year.

Last year, the total was 20, while 2016 and 2015 saw 43 and 56 deaths.

The latest figures were released by the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Road Safety Partnership, which works with police and local authorities to reduces deaths and injuries on the roads.

Graham Compton, road safety officer for Leicestershire Police, said an average of 65 people had been killed on the roads for the first 10 years of the new century.

However, over the next four years the average fell below 40 before rising again in the next two years.

The decline seen in the past 18 months in Leicestershire is not repeated elsewhere in the East Midlands, Mr Compton said.

He said: “We like to think we are making progress.

“The fall in the number of deaths last year was remarkable and the trend is continuing this year.

“We can’t put our finger on a single factor and say this is the reason the numbers are so low.

“When we look at the other forces in the region they are doing the same things as us but their figures are still higher.

“Every death is a tragedy and we are working hard to reduce the numbers.”

The partnership will continue to run its Fatal 4 road safety cam- paigns – which see drivers pulled over and fined if they are seen committing the four most common causes of road deaths – drinking and driving, not wearing a seatbelt, speeding or using a mobile phone at the wheel.

It also works with local authorities to identify how improvement works can reduce the risk on stretches of road with the highest number of collisions.