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Major drop in Dorset's road fatalities
12:30pm Wednesday 5th January 2011 By Katie Clark »

THE number of people killed on roads in Dorset has drastically fallen in the past year.

New provisional figures released by Dorset County Council show that 11 people were killed on the county’s roads in 2010, the lowest number on record and around 52 per cent down on 2009 when 23 people died.
The positive figures have been partially attributed to the No Excuses campaign launched at the beginning of 2010 to cut down on the number of fatal and serious injuries throughout the county.
In total, 216 people were killed or seriously injured on Dorset county council’s roads last year.
And overall, fatal and serious injuries are down nearly 17 per cent from 2009 when 260 people were killed or injured and around 26.5 per cent down on 2008’s figure of 294.
No children were killed on Dorset roads in 2010 with the last child fatality in 2006.

Road safety manager at Dorset County Council, Robert Smith, said: “Although this is very encouraging news, we cannot be complacent as each crash causes untold misery for those involved.
“There is still a great deal of work to be done to convince a significant number of motorists that they must concentrate more on what is going on around them.
“A good driver is one who acknowledges they can always improve – and then does something about it.
“For those who choose to ignore our advice, it will only be a matter of time before they too are caught. We will continue to crack down on bad and careless driving anywhere in Dorset.”

Cllr Peter Finney, cabinet member for transport said: “These figures are undoubtedly due to the No Excuses campaign.
“We are really, really pleased, not just for ourselves, but for all the families that have been involved.
“We will be supporting the No Excuses campaign in the future.
“It has changed people’s attitudes. People realised that they can get caught in Dorset not wearing their seatbelt or talking on their mobile phones. It is a gradual change but perceptions and attitudes are changing.”

The news was not quite as positive in Poole, where last year five people died on the roads compared with no deaths in 2009.
Martin Baker, road safety engineer at the Borough of Poole, said: “There were no fatal road collisions in Poole in 2009 so it is disappointing to see a rise this year as a single death on the road is one too many and involves terrible personal tragedy.
“Road safety remains a high priority for the council and we have seen a reduction in the overall number of fatal and serious collisions in Poole over recent years.”

In Bournemouth, the provisional numbers for casualties were said to be continuing on a “downward trend” although the number of people killed or seriously injured has increased.
From January 2010 to November 2010 there were 71 fatal or serious injuries in Bournemouth while in the same period in 2009 there were 61.
The number of child casualties, which includes any kind of injury, including slight injury, has dropped from 65 in 2009 to 47 in 2010.
There have been no child fatalities.

John Satchwell, road safety manager at the council, said: “We recognise that there is still much work to do in Bournemouth not only to make physical improvements in the highway but also in highlighting to road users the need for vigilance and appropriate behaviour at all times.”

These figures are undoubtedly due to the No Excuses campaign.

...In Bournemouth, the provisional numbers for casualties were said to be continuing on a “downward trend” although the number of people killed or seriously injured has increased.
From January 2010 to November 2010 there were 71 fatal or serious injuries in Bournemouth while in the same period in 2009 there were 61.