Suffolk Area Profile by RSA

Summary Summary

2014 Prepared by:

This Executive Summary, and the full Area Profile (which is available via: www.suffolkroadsafe.net ), provide an insight into the collisions on Suffolk’s roads and show how residents are involved in collisions.

The Suffolk Roadsafe Partners use this information to ensure that resources are directed in the most effective manner.

We are pleased to report that the overall collision trend on Suffolk’s road is down by 12% over the last five years.

Child casualties have reduced at a noticeably faster rate than casualties in general.

Over the next twelve months we will be particularly keen to work together to reduce collisions amongst motorcyclists, young drivers and adult cyclists.

Motorcyclists from Suffolk are involved in collisions more often than the national norm and are at greater risk of suffering higher severity injuries than other road user groups.

Young drivers from Suffolk are at a higher risk of collision involvement that the national norm, although we are encouraged that the absolute numbers have declined by 27% in the last five years.

Adult pedal cyclist casualties on Suffolk’s roads have increased in recent years. To tackle this, Suffolk RoadSafe have published an indepth study into the circumstances surrounding cycle collisions so that interventions are evidence-led. We have also developed a clear Cycling Strategy for Suffolk to promote safe and healthy cycling.

We will continue to work with partners to reduce collisions in Suffolk.

Graham Newman

Cabinet Member Roads and Transport

The

Suffolk Roadsafe Board is a nonstatutory Board which was created in May 2007 to bring together the main agencies involved in road safety in the county. It comprises Suffolk County Council, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, the Police and Crime Commissioner, Suffolk Constabulary, the Highways Agency, Public Health, and the East of England Ambulance Service. The agencies work together to provide the best possible use of resources and road safety expertise from many different disciplines.

The Board is chaired by County Councillor Graham Newman, Cabinet Member for Roads and Transport.

The aim of the partnership is to make the roads of Suffolk safer for all.

In Suffolk the key groups of concern have been identified as: • Motorcyclists • Young drivers/ riders (16-24) • Pedestrians • Cyclists

Other areas of concern are: • Work related driving • Speeding • Older drivers • Offending drivers – otherwise known as

‘the fatal four’, drink/drug driving,

speeding, driver distraction and failure

to wear a seatbelt.

In preventing collisions there is not a single solution, but a need to reduce risk to road users and to encourage road users to reduce their own risk of danger to others through long-term measures.

Collisions on Suffolk’s roads Collision risk on the County’s road network (not necessarily involving local residents.)

12%

Decrease in collisions in the past 5 years Collisions have decreased 12% in 5 years 2009 annual average 2,028 2013 annual average 1,779

8%

Decrease in collisions on rural roads with a speed limit of 40mph or less, in the past 5 years Collisions on rural roads with a speed limit of 40mph or less have decreased by only 8% in five years.

2009 annual average 380 2013 annual average 348

13%

Reduction in casualties There has been a 13% reduction in casualties in the past five years.

2009 annual average 2,786 2013 annual average 2,416 3

Driver control errors contribute to Suffolk collisions more than nationally Percentage of collisions 25% in Suffolk Percentage of collisions 30% in Mid Suffolk Percentage of collisions 29% in Babergh National percentage of 22% collisions

25%

Driver speed choice contributes to Suffolk collisions more than nationally Percentage of collisions 14% in Suffolk Percentage of collisions 19% in Babergh Percentage of collisions 18% in St Edmundsbury National percentage of 12% collisions

Decrease in child casualties in the past 5 years

Child casualties have decreased 25% in five years.

2009 annual average 252 2013 annual average 190

Area Profile Summary

81% Most involved drivers come from the East of England.

Suffolk resident drivers 81% Norfolk or Essex resident 12% drivers

17%

Rural Collisions due to speed choice

Driver speed choice contributes more to Suffolk collisions in rural areas Percentage of collisions 8% on urban roads in Suffolk Percentage of collisions 17% on rural roads in Suffolk

13%

Lower Rural collision rate

Rural collision rate by road length is 13% less than the norm Suffolk annual average 1.9 collisions per km of rural road National annual 2.1 collisions per km of average rural road

18%

Lower Urban collision rate Urban collision rate by road length is 18% less than the norm.

Suffolk annual average 5.6 collisions per km of urban road National annual 6.8 collisions per km of average urban road

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Area Profile Summary

Road Risk for Suffolk Residents* Risk to residents is a primary road safety measure because it enables genuine comparison betwen communities, districts and the national picture.

15%

Decrease in resident casualties over the past five years Resident casualties have decreased 15% in the past five years.

2009 annual average 2,583 2013 annual average 2,183

Rural families in affordable village homes who are reliant on the local economy for jobs

83% Most Suffolk resident casualties are injured in the county or nearby.

Injured in Suffolk 83% Injured in Norfolk, Essex 13% or Cambridge

Young Adults Risk National

172% 108%

Young Adults from Suffolk face even higher risk levels (compared to population) than their peers.

Suffolk resident young 172% adult casualties over represented by All British resident 108% young adult casualties over represented by

Families with many children living in areas of high deprivation and who need support Some types of community experience disproportionate risk (Compared to population) Rural families in 34% Higher affordable village homes who are reliant on the local economy for jobs Families with many 35% Higher children living in areas of high deprivation and who need support.

* The classification system used is Mosaic public sector, a powerful consumer classification system built to help public bodies understand and address the needs of the citizens they serve.

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32%

Decrease in child resident casualties over the past five years Child resident casualties have decreased 32% in five years 2009 annual average 235 2013 annual average 159

+56% Most Deprived

Resident adult cyclist casualties are going up, while child casualties are going down 2009 adult cyclist 130 casualties annual average 2013 adult cyclist 160 casualties annual (23% higher) average 2009 child cyclist 42 casualties annual average 2013 child cyclist 31 (26% lower) casualties annual average

Child 2009 Cyclist Casualties 2013

Adult 2009 Cyclist Casualties 2013

42 31

130 160

-28% Least Deprived

Child resident casualties occur disproportionately in more deprived communities Most deprived child +56% casualties over represented (compared to population) by Least deprived child -28% casualties under represented (compared to population) by

30.0

National

Cyclist casualty risk rates (per 100k population) are particularly high in two districts.

Annual average Suffolk 25.0 resident casualty rate Annual average Ipswich 38.7 resident casualty rate Annual average 36.6 Waveney resident casualty rate Annual average 30.0 national resident casualty rate

38.7 Ipswich

Area Profile Summary

36.6

Waveney

9

56.0 Waveney

Ipswich

8%

Less frequently involved in collisions than the National norm Suffolk resident drivers are involved in collisions 8% less frequently than the national norm Annual average Suffolk 469.9 resident involved drivers (per 100k population) Annual average British 512.8 resident involved drivers (per 100k population)

24%

55.7

40.7

National

Motorcyclist collision involvement rates (per 100k population) are particularly high in two districts.

Annual average Suffolk 45.0 resident motorcyclist involvement rate Annual average Ipswich 55.7 resident motorcyclist involvement rate Annual average 56.0 Waveney resident motorcyclist involvement rate Annual average 40.7 national motorcyclist involvement rate

Decrease in resident young driver collision involvement in the past five years Resident young driver collision involvement has decreased 24% in the past five years.

2009 annual average 629 2013 annual average 478

Area Profile Summary

832.2 Babergh

530.9 National

Young driver collision involvement rates (per 100k population) remain particularly high in three districts.

Annual average Suffolk 686.0 resident young driver involvement rate Annual average Mid889.1 Suffolk resident young driver involvement rate Annual average 832.2 Babergh resident young driver involvement rate Annual average Suffolk 822.1 Coastal resident young driver involvement rate Annual average 530.9 National young driver involvement rate

Conclusion The overall road safety trend in Suffolk is positive.

Local residents are at lower risk of being injured than the national average.

Collisions on the county’s roads are becoming less frequent.

Significant risk remains, particularly for: Young adult drivers from rural districts; Both motorcyclists and pedal cyclists from urban areas.

This profile identifies areas and community types where higher risk groups are predominate, providing an intelligence led basis for developing future road safety campaigns.

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To access the full Area Profile and other casualty reports, please visit www.suffolkroadsafe.net The website also contains more information on Suffolk RoadSafe’s activities and the work of its partners: Suffolk County Council, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, the Police and Crime Commissioner, Suffolk Constabulary, the Highways Agency, Public Health and the East of England Ambulance Service.

For more information about the content of reports and the work of partners, please contact suffolkroadsafe@suffolk.gov.uk