MP backs rural road safety campaign

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has backed a new campaign to warn drivers of the dangers of country roads.

60% of fatalities occur on country roads:

• 3 people die each day on average on rural roads
• the number of people killed on country roads is nearly 11 times higher than on motorways
• a quarter of drivers have had a near miss and 1 driver in 20 has had a collision on a country road

THINK! is launching a new campaign to warn drivers of the dangers of country roads.

60% of people killed on Britain's roads die on rural roads, and new research shows many more drivers are needlessly putting themselves at risk of an accident.

A shocking 25% of drivers report having had a near miss on a country road, while 40% have been surprised by an unexpected hazard, such as an animal. A third also confess to taking a bend too fast.

These findings suggest many drivers are failing to anticipate dangers on the road ahead. The research mirrors newly published casualty statistics which show that the most commonly reported contributory factor to being killed or seriously injured on country roads is motorists losing control, often because they are driving too fast for the conditions.

The new THINK! campaign urges drivers using country roads to:

• read the road ahead and anticipate potential hazards
• drive at a speed that allows you to stop in the distance you can see to be clear
• stay in control and give yourself time to react by braking before a bend, not on it
• give cyclists and horse riders plenty of space when overtaking

More information about the campaign can be found here: http://think.direct.gov.uk/country-roads.html

Tim said: "The overwhelming majority of drivers are careful but we can and must do more to make rural roads safer. It hope that this campaign will make a difference and I am pleased to support it."