You are three times more likely to be killed on a rural road than an urban one whilst in a car warns a Government educational campaign launched today. The Department for Transport's THINK! Rural Speed Campaign, warning drivers not to go faster than the conditions allow, can be heard on radio stations around the country this month. Rural areas can tempt motorists into driving too fast for the conditions they are facing. Long straights and demanding bends, as well as less traffic and fewer pedestrians can make drivers believe it is 'safe' to go faster than they normally would. But the stark reality is actually the opposite - the risk of fatally injuring yourself or your passengers increases three-fold on a rural road.
This is backed up by the evidence that there is often only one car involved in rural accidents, making it likely that drivers have been tempted to push themselves or their car beyond their limits.
Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said:
"Driving on rural roads can be deceiving. It is important that motorists drive with as much care on a rural road as they would in a more built-up area. The 'national' 60mph speed limit is a maximum, not an expectation, and drivers must match their speed to the road characteristics and weather conditions they are experiencing as well as factoring in unpredictable hazards - like sharp bends, limited visibility or even animals - which can require a quick reaction."
Figures for 2006 show that nationally 325 car users were killed on rural roads when speeding or driving too fast for the conditions.
David Cooper, Head of Transport at Government Office for the South East said:
"At this time of year when the light is beginning to fail and the weather gets worse it is extremely important for drivers to take extra care on country roads. These sad and stark statistics, released today, highlight the danger of rural driving in the south east, where more fatalities occur than in any other region."
All too often it is the Fire and Rescue Services who have to attend these incidents and deal with the consequences of speed related rural accidents. The campaign has the backing of Fire and Rescue Services and John Pereira, Head of Community Safety at Kent Fire and Rescue Service said:
"Many drivers are lulled into a false sense of security on rural roads because they are quieter than urban routes.
"Driving too fast for the conditions causes too many collisions on rural roads as drivers forget about unforeseen hazards. We ask drivers to remember that it may take longer for help to reach them if they are involved in an incident on an isolated stretch of road - that time could mean the difference between living and dying.
"Drivers should ask themselves if reaching their destination a few minutes early is worth risking their lives for."
Important messages for rural drivers and passengers:
- Car users are three times more likely to die on a rural road than an urban one
- Don't assume it's safe to break the speed limit on rural roads just because there is less traffic.
- With a clear road ahead you may be tempted to put your foot down. THINK! before you accelerate on rural roads.
- Drive at a speed according to the characteristics of the road and be aware that there are unforeseen and dangerous hazards such as blind bends and animals on the road
- At slower speeds, you would be able to react more quickly.
- The national 60mph speed limit should not be seen as a target speed.
- Take special care when driving at night on rural roads as other drivers' headlights could temporarily blind you.
- The table below shows that last year 1,256 people were killed in total on rural roads. 325 of these deaths were directly attributable to speeding or driving too fast for the conditions.
Fatal car user casualties on rural roads by Government office region: GB 2006
Government office region - No. of fatalities: North East 44
North West 97
Yorkshire/Humberside 116
East Midlands 158
West Midlands 112
Eastern 165
South East 188
London 8
South West 134
England 1,022
Wales 81
Scotland 153
Total 1,256
Details on the planned THINK! rural speed advertising can be found at
here.
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