THE Devon and Cornwall Police district is the 10th worst offender for road casualties in the UK in December, with 3,949 road casualties over the past 10 Decembers, and averaging 395.
A study by criminal defence solicitors, JD Spicer Zeb, explores recently published department for transport data which highlights reported road casualties over the past 10 years in UK police districts. Specifically, the solicitors looked at average and total numbers for road casualties each December to get an overview of incidents during the festive period.
The research showed that Devon and Cornwall had 3,949 road casualties over a ten-year period in the month of December alone. The average figure over the December months was 395 casualties in Devon and Cornwall, compared to just 88 in Gloucestershire and 167 in Dorset.
The top 12 road casualty hotspots of December, and their total number of casualties during December 2012 to 2021, were:
-played-a-pivotal-role-in-the-pi.png?width=209&height=140&crop=209:145,smart&quality=75)
1. Metropolitan Police: 23,329
2. Police Scotland: 7,431
3. West Midlands: 5,800
4. Kent: 5,284
5. West Yorkshire: 5,107
6. Thames Valley: 4,802
7. Hampshire: 4,384
8. Sussex: 4,150
9. Greater Manchester: 4,095
10. Devon and Cornwall: 3,949
11. Lancashire: 3,926
12. Surrey: 3,745
Umar Zeb, Senior Partner at JD Spicer Zeb, said, ‘Poor weather conditions, a greater number of vehicles on the road, alcohol-impaired driving, and holiday light distractions are some of the most common reasons behind road casualties during the festive period...
‘It’s not too surprising to see city locations like London, Manchester, and Kent in the top for road casualties... On the other hand, seeing locations such as Devon and Cornwall seems initially shocking until we consider the narrow country lanes and the influx of people returning to family homes during the festive period.
You can find out more information about the study on the JD Spicer Zeb site.