THURROCK's roads have been condemned as among the most dangerous in the country, though the borough council are keen to point out they are working hard to combat the problem.
A new survey by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy says that road users in Thurrock are more likely to be seriously or fatally injured in road traffic accidents than anywhere else in the East of England.
Figures released the Society that in 2007, 7.3 in every 10,000 people in Thurrock were involved in a serious or fatal road traffic accident – above the English average of 5.2. This is a total of 110 people being seriously injured or killed.
The Society is highlighting these figures as winter evenings get darker, earlier, tsaying they are warning people to be extra vigilant on the roads to avoid unnecessary injury.
The figures were acknowledged by road safety experts at Thurrock Council but in a statement the authority said while it was disappointed at the negative tone of this statement from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, the Council welcomes all publicity that promotes safer driving.
The statement added: "It should be remembered that Thurrock has a proportionally high number of strategic routes — the M25 and A13 — which carry high numbers of vehicles at high speeds.
"Thurrock Council has spent an average of £800,000 a year over the past two years on road safety. This has been allocated to a programme of area traffic calming, accident investigation and prevention, and safe routes to schools.
"School Travel Plans have been adopted at every school in the borough and emphasize the need for education as well as engineered improvements.
"Although Thurrock is some way from achieving the national target for killed and seriously Injured accidents, reductions are being made each year.
"In 2007/08 110 deaths or serious injuries were recorded compared to 118 in 2006/07. So far this year (April to August 2008), overall 32 incidents have been recorded.
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