Number of children hurt or killed on roads in Herts in last two years

Hertfordshire Constabulary is urging drivers to slow down as it revealed that hundreds of pedestrians have been seriously hurt or killed since 2019.

It says that 168 pedestrians suffered a bad injury or died on roads in the county in the last two years, with 34 of them having been children.

The Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire road policing unit also tweeted that 383 pedestrians have been seriously injured or killed across the three counties in the same time period, 96 of which were children.

In the past two years, 383 pedestrians were seriously injured or killed on Beds, Cambs and Herts roads. Of these, 96 were children. A 1% decrease in average speed reduces the chance of a fatal collision by 4%. Please slow down. #Streetsforlife @BedsPolice @CambsCops @HertsPolice pic.twitter.com/HlFs9wTYuz

— BCH Road Policing Unit (@roadpoliceBCH) May 21, 2021

Chief Inspector Simon Tabert, from Hertfordshire Constabulary, said: “Speed limits are in place for a reason. We want our roads to be safe for everyone: whether you’re a motorist, a cyclist or a pedestrian. It goes without saying that the faster you drive, the less time you have to react and any mistake by you or another is amplified by that speed.

“Never exceed the limit for the road you’re on and please make sure your speed is appropriate for the driving conditions. The limits are the highest speed considered safe for that road – but it is often safer to travel at lower speeds, such as in bad weather and where there are pedestrians or cyclists, particularly children.

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“Driving within speed limits can give motorists precious extra time; a few seconds might not seem much but it can be enough to prevent a collision; and if you do collide with someone, the slower your speed, the less likely you are to kill or seriously injure them or yourself.”

“In conjunction with this national road safety campaign, our officers will be conducting additional activity across the county throughout the week to ensure that motorists are staying within the speed limits and driving safely.”

It comes as the United Nations launched a global road safety campaign, which promotes low speeds in areas where people and traffic mix. 

The aim is to make streets safer, more accessible and more enjoyable for all.