Drop in number of road deaths

Figures showed that the number of people killed on Londonderry and Strabane roads fell from six in 2016/17 to five in 2017/18.

The report revealed that the number casualties seriously injured fell from 45 to 43 over the same period and those slightly injured also dropped from 620 to 557.

The overall total of casualties or deaths rose from 671 to 675 over the same period.

The police statistics indicated that during 2017-18 the total number of road traffic collisions in Northern Ireland decreased by 1.9% from 6,162 to 6,046.

The overall number of casualties as a result of road traffic collisions fell, from 9,557 to 9,051 (-5.3%) and the number of fatalities as a result of road traffic collisions decreased from 65 to 61 (-6.2%).

There were 87 fewer people seriously injured in road traffic collisions (750 compared with 837) – a decrease of 10.4% and the number of people slightly injured reduced by 4.8%, from 8,655 to 8,240.

Commenting on the figures, Inspector Rosie Leech said, “Credit for this reduction must go in part to those road users who adhere to the rules of the road; to our partners who work so hard to educate road users and those who construct our roads to safe standards, and the significant contribution of our emergency service colleagues, for their life-saving skills when called to attend the most serious collisions.

“We must all re-double our efforts to keep ourselves and others safe on Northern Ireland’s roads by always wearing our seatbelts, ignoring our mobile phones when we should be paying attention to our surroundings, adhering to the speed limits and never, ever drinking or taking drugs before driving.”