Dark rural roads highlighted as 'danger zones'

LARSOA has expressed concern at the number of collisions and fatalities that take place on rural roads.

64% of all fatalities occur on rural roads and over 15,000 people were killed or seriously injured last year on country roads.

This month the Think! team is launching a new rural speeding campaign, and while LARSOA welcomes the initiative, the Association believes changing the practise of turning the clocks back could save even more lives.

A recent THINK! survey reveals that drivers on rural roads are driving with less care than on urban roads. In particular, younger and inexperienced drivers are taking the most risks, with almost one in 10 of those surveyed admitting they think it's safer to break the speed limit on rural roads due to the lack of traffic.

David Frost, LARSOA spokesman, says that while these misconceptions are extremely worrying, having an extra hour of daylight at the end of the day throughout the winter months could save around 450 road deaths and serious injuries.

He says: "Research shows lighter evenings would result in around 450 fewer deaths and serious injuries, including between 104 and 138 fewer deaths.

"Rural roads usually have little or no lighting compared to urban routes, so an extra hour of daylight can have real impact, particularly during the late afternoon and evening when people are completing the commute home from work.

"Rural roads can present hazards such as blind bends, summits and animals on the roads and if a driver loses control on an isolated stretch of road, the collision may not be discovered for some time.

"It is more difficult for other drivers to spot a collision in the dark and call for help. If the driver has serious injuries, the length of time before there is medical help is critical. If they are not found quickly, it could mean the difference between life and death."

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