Camera partnership reports decline in KSIs

Cumbria's safety camera partnership has reported a significant decline in killed and serious injury casualties (KSIs) since the project was launched in April 2003.

Fatal and serious injury accident levels are also being maintained at a consistent all time low and not following the random patterns of the previous decade.

Between January and the end of April 2003 there were 19 fatalities and 122 serious injuries recorded in Cumbria. In the first four months of this year there were 14 fatalities and just 65 serious injury casualties – a reduction of almost 50 per cent.

"From October last year we have seen a demonstrable decline in the number of KSI accidents in the county," said Kevin Tea, spokesman for Cumbria Safety Cameras. "What is more important is that statistics have shown a maintained consistency at a low level that has never been seen before.

"If you look at the KSI figures for the last 10 years there has been what would appear to be complete randomness and a trend is almost impossible to map. Over the past six months accidents have remained at or below the minimum of all monthly recorded accidents for the last decade.

"While we cannot at this stage claim that this drop is purely down to the safety camera initiative, we do know that KSIs across the 47 hotspots we have been monitoring since last April have been reduced by around 40 per cent, " Kevin Tea added.

For further information contact Kevin Tea, 01768 217791, kevin.tea@cumbria.police.uk.