Road Safety
The Crime and Community Safety Strategic Assessment (2023) highlighted that the number of road traffic accidents occurring within Cumbria were showing a declining trend. This decline has continued into 2023 and 2024, with an overall decline of -28.9% since 2019 (-30.8% decline in Cumberland Unitary area and -26.6% in Westmorland and Furness).
However, the proportion of Road Traffic Accidents resulting in death or serious injury is starting to show a slight increasing trend.
The leading causes of serious injury and death on UK roads are speeding, drink and drug driving, not wearing a seat belt and using a mobile phone while driving. They are referred to as 'The fatal four'.
Cumbria Road Safety Partnership and 'Vision Zero'
Roads are essential to our everyday lives and economic prosperity, but many are killed or injured whilst using them both in Cumbria and nationally each year.
The Cumbria Road Safety Partnership counteracts this through a range of activities that include the use of enforcement, engineering, education, training and publicity.
The Partnership consists of Cumberland Council, Westmorland and Furness Council, National Highways, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, Cumbria Police and other interested parties.
The Partnership has adopted Vision Zero, in line with many similar Partnerships both within the UK and around the world, to show their determination and long term commitment to road casualty reduction.
Their Vision Zero aim is to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on Cumbria's roads by 2040.
Cumbria Fire and Rescue
Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service attends road traffic accidents on the county's roads. They provide advice and guidance on issues such as tyre safety and road awareness training - click here
The National Pass Plus scheme
Young drivers who have just passed their driving test are most at risk of being involved in a road traffic accident whilst driving on the roads than any other road user group.
Young drivers are the drivers of the future and are often involved in accidents due to their lack of experience, maturity, knowledge or simply a poor attitude to driving. Passing the driving test is the first stage in learning to drive safely.
The national Pass Plus scheme has been in operation for more than a decade and provides post-test training in the form of 6 practical modules with no tests at the end of the training. The cost of doing Pass Plus training in Cumberland currently averages around £160 and is provided by local driving instructors. Click here for further information. To apply please send an email to roadsafety@cumberland.gov.uk