http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/viewa ... p?id=85940
HORRIFIC COST OF EVERY FATAL ROAD CRASH
Published on 30/03/2004
By Mary Ingham
AS A MAJOR road safety campaign was launched in Cumbria yesterday it emerged that each fatal accident costs £1.5 million.
But this shocking figure, an insurance estimate, does not begin to take account of the human cost of the deaths and serious injuries on Cumbria’s roads.
Called “It Wouldn’t Kill You”, the campaign is being run by Safer Roads for Cumbria, a partnership between local authorities and business groups.
Cumbria has an alarming number of fatal and serious road accidents, those attending yesterday’s launch at Rheged, near Penrith were told.
There were 1,591 crashes in the county last year. Fifty four people died, 393 suffered serious injuries, and 2,245 were slightly hurt. There were 191 accidents involving motorcycles and eight fatalities.
The county council’s cabinet spokesman on roads, Kevan Wilkinson said Cumbria had one of the worst accident records in the UK.
The campaign would target all road users and highlight factors linked to crashes such as inappropriate speed, drink and drugs, use of mobile phones, road conditions, and in-car distraction.
Motorcyclists would be targeted first then van and wagon drivers, said Mr Wilkinson. A new Cumbria road safety award will be introduced later this year and the Chamber of Commerce would continue to encourage businesses to sign up to Driving Logic’s safe driver scheme.
“Our campaign will help all road users change their attitudes towards safety,” said Mr Wilkinson.
Cumbria Constabulary’s Chief Superintendent John Taylor said the county had some of the most picturesque but most lethal roads.
“Road collisions cost us all dearly,” said Mr Taylor. “In purely financial terms each fatal accident costs £1.5 million. Then there is the drain on the resources of the emergency services and hospitals and above all the human cost.”
Mr Taylor said most accidents were caused by poor driving and were therefore avoidable.
Cumbria Safety Camera spokesman Kevin Tea said in most parts of the UK, the motorways were the safest roads but in the county last year, 13 people died and 21 were badly hurt in M6 crashes.