SERP issues seasonal warning to road users
SERP has issued a warning to road users to be aware of two specific dangers associated with the onset of the autumn period and shorter daylight hours.
Recently a motorcyclist received serious injuries after colliding with a deer on a country road near Stansted Airport.
Autumn is the rutting (mating) season for deer when they are at their most mobile, which in turn increases the risk of deer-related road collisions in areas where they are prevalent.
What’s more, deer tend to be most active at dawn and dusk, coinciding with the morning and evening rush hour, again heightening the risk of collisions at these times.
According to GEM Motoring Assist, between 10 and 20 roads deaths each year are a result of collisions with deer, and around 75,000 deer are involved in vehicle collisions annually, with around 10,000 killed instantly.
SERP also points to statistics highlighting the additional risks on the roads when the clocks change from British Summer Time (BST) to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) – this year on Sunday 25 October.
Looking at the period 2010 – 2014, and the five weeks prior to the end of BST and the first five weeks of GMT, the stats show a 14.1% increase in pedestrian casualty numbers (from 297 to 339) and an 8.2% increase in all road casualties (from 2,631 to 2,848).
With regard to the specific weeks prior to and after the clocks change (weeks 445 and 45), the number of pedestrian casualties increased from 48 to 81 (+68.8%) and for all casualties from 502 to 635 (+26.5%).
SERP is currently running a burst of its ‘No Excuse’ campaign to remind drivers and pedestrians of the heightened risks pedestrians face in the hours before sunrise and after sunset.
Launching the campaign earlier this month, Nicola Foster, chair of SERP, said: “We’re asking pedestrians to take extra care with the onset of darker evenings, and drivers to pay special attention to pedestrians at this time of year.
“In a collision between a vehicle and person, the person almost always comes off worst. That’s why we’re asking drivers to look out for pedestrians, in addition to pedestrians taking responsibility for their own safety.”
19 October 2015