Crackdown to reduce crashes

By Jamie White

Thursday, October 18, 2012

 

POLICE are planning a big crackdown on driving standards on the Isle of Wight. 
Since June there have been five fatal collisions — a figure police believe is too high and which goes against the improving trend in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

They have now launched a campaign across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to cut the number of crashes in the two counties.

The operation will run for six months initially and will target drivers who use mobile phones at the wheel, drink-drivers, speeding motorists and those not wearing seatbelts — the four main trends in fatal or serious injury crashes.

Sergeant Dave Sanderson of the Isle of Wight Roads Policing Unit said: "I want to raise awareness of the importance of road safety and make people take responsibility for their actions.

"A vehicle is a lump of metal that can kill and it does too often. When something unexpected happens, if you're not in control, someone may die.

"On occasions people get away with it, but if not, the consequences can be devastating for everyone including family, friends, schools and communities they belong to.

"It does worry me there has been five fatal collisions in recent months. They are all individual, unique tragic accidents that could have been avoided. The only common link between them is they are down to mistakes.

"The Island now presents me with challenges which suits my moral drive. I want to make a difference and stop people dying on the roads and we will be clever and we will be smart in doing so."

Earlier in the year it had appeared that the roads were becoming safer, with figures released by police showing a drop in the number of people hurt or killed.

Between January 1 and June 30 this year, the two counties recorded a 22 per cent reduction in fatal or serious injury casualties compared to the same period in 2011. In total there were 102 fewer casualties than in the previous year.

Fatal or serious injury collisions in the Eastern Area, incorporating Havant, Fareham and Gosport, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, were down 14 per cent from 222 to 194.

• For more on this story see the Isle of Wight County Press on Friday, October 19.

2011 figures

Number of collisions
Number of casualties
Fatal Serious Slight Total (ALL) Total (KSI)
Isle of Wight 1 86 305 392 87
1 95 472 568 96
Basingstoke and Deane 7 67 262 336 74
7 78 353 438 85
Eastleigh 0 54 249 303 54
0 55 330 385 55
Fareham 2 57 248 307 59
2 59 329 390 61
Gosport 0 27 152 179 27
0 30 181 211 30
Hart 5 50 148 203 55
5 54 192 251 59
Havant 3 44 239 286 47
4 45 316 365 49
New Forest 7 121 379 507 128
7 126 505 638 133
East Hampshire 9 68 186 263 77
9 78 269 356 87
Portsmouth 0 141 543 684 141
0 143 664 807 143
Rushmoor 0 38 172 210 38
0 41 222 263 41
Southampton 2 147 522 671 149
2 152 663 817 154
Test Valley 6 64 229 299 70
6 72 320 398 78
Winchester 2 79 281 362 81
2 85 390 477 87
Hamshire & IW Total: 44 1043 3915 5002 1087
45 1113 5206 6364 1158

Reporter: jamiew@iwcpmail.co.uk

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by Stephen Jewell

22nd October 2012, at 11:53:36

Driving a lot here on The Island, I constantly see drivers putting themselves and others in danger. Driving too fast for the weather and road conditions. No lights in heavy rain or twilight conditions, overtaking cyclists on blind bends driving with one headlight and use of mobile phones by so many van and pick up drivers who's company or owners should put in hands free kits, to name but a few. Police vehicle stop checks used to be a regular occurance on the Cowes-Newport road to name one. I have not seen one for years. Come on everyone, step up to your responsabilities when driving or face the awful consequences.

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by Anne Brodie

20th October 2012, at 07:38:45

I'm quite convinced the parlours state of the roads on the Island contributes to many accidents. It is pointless installing speed bumps and pinch points when the road design needs to be revolutionised, not tinkered with around the edges

It's the price we pay for being a holiday destination.

Also, Police should breathalyze motorists as they get off Red Funnel in East Cowes, driving after downing 2 or 3 pints at the bar in the course of the crossing. If they're over the limit, send them back to the mainland.

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by Anne Brodie

20th October 2012, at 07:36:07

I'm quite convinced the parlours state of the roads on the Island contributes to many accidents. It is pointless installing speed bumps and pinch points when the road design needs to be revolutionised, not tinkered with around the edges

It's the price we pay for being a holiday destination.

Also, Police should breathalyze motorists as they get off Red Funnel in East Cowes, driving after downing 2 or 3 pints at the bar in the course of the crossing. If they're over the limit, send them back to the mainland.

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by Ian Delaney

19th October 2012, at 00:17:39

I wonder if the higher figures relate to the areas with the worst roads not just the bad drivers?

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by Douglas Bailey

18th October 2012, at 20:44:31

I'm all for the over 70's having to go to their Doctors each year to get a medical report saying they are fit to drive, even if it costs £25.Most of what I see as poor driving on the Island is by the older generation, by that I mean, crawling along, no indication when they are going to turn,stopping over a cars length behind other cars in a queue,I could go on and on.Most need their eyes tested to see if they are still able to see the recommended distance in front of the.They also need to get their Doctor to say if the medication they are on will impair they way they drive.
Roll on February I will need to go to my Doctor if this was the case.

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by Lee Majors

18th October 2012, at 18:07:41

Peter, do you mean PC Gurd? He was a nice bloke but IIRC he used to keep writing his police motorbikes off when falling off them!
If the police want to catch people, I say they should employ locals and give them a dash cam to film their days activities!
If I had mine running today they could have had a pensioner that I was following who in my opinion was driving without due care& attention, i.e wrong side of road round corners, turning into junctions without indicating or braking, and also one van driver without a seat belt, plus two people on mobile phones, (one of which was the van driver with no seatbelt) and last night, 3 joggers in the middle of the road, I must admit they were wearing head torches but no excuse for a main road, plus most days I see an elderly woman who pushes her bicycle in the middle of the road,, either ride it or get on the pavement with it!

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by peter williams

18th October 2012, at 13:10:34

why only 6 months, shouldn't the road policing staff be out every day, it used to be done very well some years ago as many islanders fondly remember Dave Gurd, road safety cannot be improved from nice comfortable offices

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by Mike Crowe

18th October 2012, at 12:41:07

""I think theres a lot of the older generation that need to retake there tests""

How old is old and at what age should they take their tests?

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by Kevin Barclay-Jay

18th October 2012, at 11:53:51

emmmm! does this mean the police are going to do their job at last...to much reliance on Cameras to catch the criminal fater the event rather than preventing the crime in the first place......Policeman stop crime happening...detectives catch criminals

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by peter williams

18th October 2012, at 11:16:54

michael, i don't know where you get your statistics but i think you will find that most of the crashes over the last 24 months her on the island have been caused by young drivers and riders.

Any views or opinions presented in the comments above are solely those of the author and do not represent those of the Isle of Wight County Press.

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