Speeding youngsters and elderly drivers with impaired abilities are the biggest risks on East Devon roads, according to Sidmouth’s top ranking police officer.
Sergeant Andy Squires has been asked to draw up an action plan to address issues in both groups over the next 12 months.
He told town councillors last week that new figures reveal where serious and fatal collisions have occurred in the last decade – and East Devon ‘actually featured quite highly in the list’.
There have been a number of incidents on the A3052, A375 and A35 and A30.
Sgt Squires said: “The main areas of risk are speeding youngsters and elderly drivers with impaired driving abilities.”
The action plan will include policies of education and enforcement.
Police officers will be conducting quarterly traffic stops, it is hoped in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVLA), which would be able to do checks on whether the vehicles are safe and legal.
He also wants to partner up with the DVLA, fire service and the South Western Ambulance Service at awareness events to help educate elderly motorists about driving styles and manners and whether they are still able to maintain a licence.
Sgt Squires said his officers were planning different ways in which they could educate younger and older drivers, adding: “They aren’t generally very receptive when they get caught on the road by us.
“We have found that a far more effective method, which we have used in the past, is to attend events which they would attend, such as at the Donkey Sanctuary car show and hill climbs.”
Dates are yet to be announced for the police road shows.
The Herald has now submitted a Freedom of Information request to Devon and Cornwall Police requesting the statistics for the number of road traffic collisions in East Devon. We have also asked for details regarding the ages of those driving the vehicles and where they happened.
A response is due back some time in February. Keep an eye out in the Herald for the results.
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