Slow Down and Save Lives

Dorset Police are stepping up a campaign to improve careless driving across the county. This coincides with an increase in inappropriate driving during the Covid 19 lockdown and observed behaviour in and around Okeford Fitzpaine. A local example occurred recently when cars swerved around an elderly parishioner crossing the road using a Zimmer frame. Speed is not the only problem but careless driving is also an issue within the parish.

The police campaign Slow Down and Save Lives focuses on the “fatal five” inappropriate driving behaviours . These are:

Excess speed
Drink driving
Not wearing a seatbelt
Being distracted at the wheel
Careless and inappropriate driving

Dorset has a higher rate of fatal road accidents than the England average. Health profiles are compiled by Public Health England each year for local health economies. The 2019 health profile indicates that not only is the rate of fatal road accidents higher in Dorset than other parts of the South West, but it remains unchanged.

2019 Health Profiles for Fatal and Serious Road Accidents in Dorset Compared to England

INDICATOR

AGE

PERIOD

COUNT

VALUE per 100,000(DORSET)

VALUE per 100,000

(REGION)

VALUE per 100,000

(ENGLAND)

CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS

Killed and seriously injured (KSI) rate on England’s roads

All ages

2016-18

601

53.4

39.8

42.6

Unchanged

Key: green denotes better than England average; red is worse than England average.

When Dorset compares with Bournemouth and Poole the rate of fatal or serious injuries from road accidents is even higher. Data from Public Health Dorset shows the rate per 100,000 to be 59 for the areas outside Bournemouth and Poole. Dorset County has higher rates of fatal road crashes in both adults and children and this may be down to rural roads as well as dangerous driving.

2019 Health Profiles for Fatal and Serious Road Accidents in Bournemouth, Poole, and Dorset (Council areas) Compared to England

INDICATOR	BOURNEMOUTH	POOLE	DORSET	ENGLAND
Killed or seriously injured (rate per 100,000)	37.3	47.3	59	38.5
Children killed or seriously injured (rate per 100,000 <16)	24	12.7	23.3	17

Key: green denotes better than England average; red is worse than England average.

Chief Inspector Steve Lenney, Head of Roads Policing across Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, said: “Over the past two months we’ve seen a significant reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads as a result of lockdown measures reducing the number of vehicles travelling. However, we have seen examples where some drivers have used the lack of traffic to drive in an unsafe way, or travel at significantly excessive speeds, which can often result in tragedy.
As the country begins to move out of lockdown and we’re beginning to see more road users on our network, we’re stepping up our education and enforcement to remind drivers of their responsibilities. We recognise that some drivers may have not got behind the wheel in several weeks so alongside our enforcement activities, we will also be educating road users on vehicle safety as well as the effects of excess speed.”

It’s time to slow down and drive carefully on our roads to avoid injuries to others and damage to buildings and cars. Please consider the Fatal Five when you drive in Dorset.

^{Rachael Rowe}