Derby achieves 10 year low casualty figures

The number of people killed or seriously injured on Derby's roads has fallen to its lowest level in 10 years.

Figures released last week by Derby City Council's road safety department show that four people were killed and 96 seriously injured as they drove, walked or cycled along roads and pavements in the city last year.

This was 22 per cent fewer than 2002, when 122 people were seriously injured and four killed. The new figures are the lowest since 1993, when 117 people were killed or seriously injured.

Initiatives carried out by the council during 2003 include educating children, young male drivers and motorcyclists and the Think First campaign, which aims to cut road accidents by encouraging drivers to be more careful.

More than 1,600 people have signed up to the campaign, which launched in 2002.

The latest figures also reveal a reduction in the number of children seriously injured in accidents - to 16 in 2003, compared with 18 in 2002.

But there was an increase in the number of cyclists involved in accidents. In 2002 two cyclists were seriously injured and 20 slightly injured. Last year 28 cyclists were slightly injured and two seriously injured. There were no fatal cycling accidents in 2002 or 2003.
The 2003 accident figures will be analysed and used to target and develop future campaigns.

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