Drink-related road accidents on the rise

Newcastle has the highest number of pedestrian casualties in the North East of England, and many of the victims are drunk young adults returning home on a Saturday night. Around one in four of the accidents in the North East involving a pedestrian and a vehicle occurs in Newcastle, according to education group Road Safety GB.

Sky interviewed young adults out at the weekend and many were aware of the risks but still made poor judgements. One man admitted that he had been clipped on the ankle by a car while running across a road. A taxi driver spoke of the chaos on the roads on a Saturday night and said that he was surprised that more people are not killed.

Deadly weekends

Most accidents occur late on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights when the pubs are closing and there are many reckless and inebriated young adults on the streets. Older adults are more likely to drink moderately and find safer transport, while young adults often prefer to walk as they cannot always afford a taxi fare home.

Check Out Before You Step Out

Road Safety GB has launched a new Check Out Before You Step Out campaign at Newcastle Sixth Form College to raise awareness about road safety. As the nights become darker and longer, more pedestrian accidents start to occur. Young adults aged between 16 and 24 are at greatest risk – they account for 33% of all adult pedestrian casualties.

Alan Kennedy, chairman of Road Safety GB, has asked drivers to adjust their driving when there are many pedestrians about by reducing their speed by a few miles per hour and being more vigilant.