95 Alive, the York and North Yorkshire road safety partnership, says it has virtually achieved its casualty reduction target almost a year ahead of schedule.
The partnership’s target is to save 95 lives between 2005 and the end of 2010, and it says that 91 people are alive today who may otherwise have died if casualties had carried on at the rate of four years ago.
Fatalities for 2009 were the lowest since North Yorkshire County Council started keeping records 20 years ago. 47 people died on the roads of York and North Yorkshire in 2009, compared with 52 in 2008 and 80 in 2004 – the year before 95 Alive was launched.
David Bowe, North Yorkshire County Council’s assistant director for highways, said: “Enforcement, education, and engineering have been the key elements in working together to deliver the messages, and campaigns have been targeted at all ages from babies in car seats, to children, young drivers and older drivers.
“The most important thing has always been to change behaviour and the way people approach walking, riding and driving on the roads to encourage them to think safety first every time.
“It cannot be said that these 91 lives have been saved purely because of the work done by the partnership. Road casualty statistics are complicated and can involve different factors including the economy and the weather. But through 95 Alive a lot of work has been put in by a lot of people to encourage all road users to share the road, take responsibility and stay safe.”
For more information and to arrange interviews contact Janet Gleeson, 95 Alive campaign coordinator, on 01609 798304.
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