It has been reported that the number of people being killed or seriously injured on Wigan's roads has sadly increased again in 2011 by around a quarter, although the total number of casualties has fallen slightly.
The Department of Transport data shows that unfortunately 8 people were killed and 74 seriously injured in 2011. This total of 82 is a considerable increase from the figure of 62 fatal or serious accidents recorded in 2010.
Wigan had the fourth highest number of road deaths in the Greater Manchester region in 2011, behind Manchester, Bolton and Salford.
The Department of Transport figures also regrettably illustrate that Britain’s roads on the whole became more dangerous in 2011 with the overall number of deaths increasing for the first time since 2003. An increase of fatalities of 3% was recorded from 1850 in 2010 to 1901 in 2011. Sadly, infant fatalities increased by 9% from 55 in 2010 to 60 in 2011, with pedestrian fatalities increasing by 12%.
Thankfully, the number of cyclist fatalities fell by 4%; however the number of seriously injured cyclists rose 16% to over 3000, reflecting the hazardous nature of this mode of transport.
The above statistics do sadly make for grim reading - perhaps more needs to be done to educate all road users in relation to the hazards that are faced on a daily basis when using the boroughs roads in order that these harrowing statistics do not increase further year on year?
By road traffic accident expert, Rebecca Dawber
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