Freeclaim Solicitors Support Campaign for Lower Speed Limits on Rural Roads
The road safety charity Brake is urging drivers to slow down when travelling on rural roads. This is in a bid to reduce hazards and accidents for walkers, cyclists and horse riders who also tend to use rural lanes and roads more in the summer months.
Country roads are not empty thoroughfares for traffic; they are living environments, full of unpredictable hazards around every twist and turn.
The road safety charity Brake is urging drivers to slow down when travelling on rural roads. This is in a bid to reduce hazards and accidents for walkers, cyclists and horse riders who also tend to use rural lanes and roads more in the summer months.
Recent statistics released by the charity show that over 30% of drivers admit to driving too fast for the condition of the road in rural areas and that nearly 40% of people have had a near miss on a country road, be that as a driver, a walker or a cyclist.
The risks of someone being killed on a rural road are also alarming.
- Cyclists are over three times as likely to be killed on a rural road compared to built-up areas, and motorbike and drivers and passengers in cars are more than two times as likely to be killed.
- In 2013, a total of 895 people sadly died as a result of an accident on a rural road in the UK.
Brake are now campaigning for the speed limit to be reduced to 50mph on all rural roads and extra speed limits to be applied where there are greater risks of accidents occurring.
The Deputy Chief Executive at Brake commented, “We hear constantly from people in rural areas where communities are blighted by fast traffic. It’s a big issue over the summer when many people want to enjoy our beautiful countryside on foot, bike or horseback, and shouldn’t have to contend with drivers treating the roads as their personal racetrack.” She also added, “Country roads are not empty thoroughfares for traffic; they are living environments, full of unpredictable hazards around every twist and turn.”
Freeclaim Solicitors fully support the campaign to help reduce the number or accidents on rural roads. Emma Greenhalgh, head of road traffic accidents at Freeclaim Solicitors, comments, “All users of country lanes and roads need to be made aware of the dangers. In particular, drivers need to ensure they are travelling at a safe speed and consider there could be unexpected events that they need to react to quickly and safely.”
- When driving on country roads it is always advisable to travel at a lower speed, as you never know what could be just around the corner.
- Travelling at lower speeds also means you can better judge any obstacles and react to the inconsistency of the roads.
- Drivers should also slow right down when travelling through villages, beware of sharp turns and bends, especially if roads are wet due to bad weather, and avoid overtaking other vehicles and users of the road.
If you’ve suffered injury as a result of a road accident whether on a country lane, A road or motorway, Freeclaim Solicitors can help. They are specialist road traffic accident compensation lawyers and have membership of the Motor Association Solicitors Society (MASS), showing expertise in road accident compensation. To find out how they can help visit http://www.freeclaim.co.uk or call 0800 612 7340 (open 24 hours a day).
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