Last year in Britain, 1,793 lost their lives due to road traffic collisions with over 55,000 casualties seen on rural roads.
Rural lanes and roads carry 44 per cent of all traffic yet account for 60 per cent of fatalities and often suffer from under investment or are simply too difficult to remodel to make safer.
Julia Mulligan, Chair of the National Rural Crime Network and North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said:
“This road safety action plan is a positive step forward in recognising that more must be done to keep vulnerable users of our roads safe and feeling safe.
“One of the issues raised regularly by horse riders and cyclists is the danger posed by motorists passing them too fast and too close. I welcome the Government’s promise of additional money to support the police in receiving and analysing dash cam and helmet cam footage so that motorists can be warned of their dangerous behaviour and enforcement action taken where appropriate.
“Measures such as this are vital. Last year over 1,000 people died on rural roads with thousands seriously injured. Our rural lanes and country roads are used widely by some of our most vulnerable road users including cyclists, walkers and horse riders.
“This is an appalling toll from roads that are both the lifeblood of our communities, connecting villages and towns with essential services, but also all too often unsafe for those vulnerable users who have no choice but to use them to get around.”