This year's road traffic death figures revealed for West Yorkshire

A total of 49 people have been killed on West Yorkshire’s roads so far this year according to figures released as part of Road Safety Week 2019.
Road Traffic CollisionRoad Traffic Collision
Road Traffic Collision

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) is using the week to remind people of the so-called ‘fatal four’ offences, which are speeding, drink/drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt, or using a mobile phone at the wheel.

To spread a safe driving message to young people, WYFRS is hosting the road safety roadshow at the Victoria Theatre in Halifax, on Thursday.

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District Prevention Manager, Karina Gonzalez said: “We’re looking forward to hosting the road safety awareness show in Halifax again.

"Over the past seven years we’ve had a really great response and interaction from young people – and so want to continue spreading that message.

“Young people can be some of our most vulnerable road users, as they learn to drive, or are passengers when out with their friends.

So far in 2019 firefighters have attended 573 road traffic collisions in West Yorkshire.

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"We want to teach them that driving is a great life skill, but it needs to be treated with the respect it deserves," said Ms Gonzalez.

"We want to educate them about the main dangers people can face on the road, in an age appropriate and honest way.”

In addition to this 3,280 were injured, according to the statistics which looked at the first 45 weeks of this year.

This is the seventh year for the roadshow in support of Road Safety Week.

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It is aimed at 15 and 16-year-olds who are learning to drive in the near future.

Emergency service representatives from the fire service, police and ambulance service will give a talk on road safety, along with the moving experiences of a father of a child who died in a road traffic collision and the Vicar of Halifax, Reverend Canon Hilary Barber.

Ms Gonzalez said: “Young people can be our most vulnerable road users, as they learn to drive, or are passengers when out with their friends.

"We want to teach them driving is a great life skill, but it needs to be treated with the respect it deserves.

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"We want to educate them about the main dangers people can face on the road, in an age appropriate and honest way.”

In addition to the roadshow, On Monday fire crews demonstrated the equipment used at road traffic collisions at Horsforth School, in Leeds.

This was delivered alongside a bereaved mother who spoke about her experience of losing her son in a road traffic collision.

The event was organised by road safety charity Brake.

For further advice on road safety visit: www.wyfs.co.uk/your-safety