10 dead in one month after spate of crashes in Devon and Cornwall
10 people have died on roads in Devon and Cornwall in the past month - prompting an appeal from police.
There have been 67 serious crashes - 35 in Devon and 32 in Cornwall.
A video appeal has been made with a message from Superintendent Ryan Doyle, Devon & Cornwall Police’s head of roads policing.
Supt Doyle said: “There has been a significant number of very serious collisions on Devon and Cornwall’s roads recently.
“Sadly, many of these have resulted in a tragic loss of life which, as you can imagine, has been devastating for the families and friends of those involved. These people are being supported by specialist officers and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.
“The vast majority of road users in Devon and Cornwall are safe, responsible and respectful – and I would urge everyone to lead by example."
The five main causes of serious injuries and deaths on the region’s roads, known as the ‘fatal five’, are driving at an excessive speed, not wearing a seatbelt, driving while using a mobile phone, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, careless or inconsiderate driving.
Supt Doyle continued to say: “The past few weeks have been truly tragic and the last thing our officers want to do is knock on any more doors to tell someone a loved one isn’t coming home. Please, please, drive safely.”
To improve road safety, Devon and Cornwall police are increasing the number of roads officers and speed detection teams.
Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly said: “First and foremost, my thoughts are with the families, friends and loved ones of those who have died in these recent collisions. It has been a truly tragic two weeks.
“Ensuring everyone’s safety on our roads is one of the four main priorities in my Police and Crime Plan. The Vision Zero South West partnership and all its members are committed to doing whatever is necessary to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on Devon and Cornwall’s roads.
“I would urge everyone to please use the roads responsibly, respect other road users and leave plenty of time for any journeys you make.”
Councillor Stuart Hughes, Vice Chair of Vision Zero South West and Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highway Management said: "At this time of year our roads start to get extremely busy with an influx of visitors to the region, so we would like to remind everyone to take extra care when out on our roads, whether you are driving, riding or walking.
"We're determined to drive down the number or collisions on Devon and Cornwall’s roads, and we can all play our part in being considerate and looking out for other people.”