Road deaths fall

Police and county council road safety officials say they are encouraged by the fall in the death toll from 63 to 49, but warn they and the public cannot afford to become complacent.

In 2000, 63 people died in accidents on the county's 3,980km of roads. The average between 1994 and 1998 was 57.

Phil Crossland, the county council's group manager for road and traffic safety, said: "2000 was one of the highest we'd had for years, so 2001 is a 'less bad' year than that -- I don't want to say better. "While we can't claim any one thing we've done has led to the reduction, we do hope to make an overall difference with our speed management policy, road safety initiatives and education.

"Fatal accidents do tend to be somewhat random, and a matter of circumstances. For example, if a car leaves the road and misses a tree it's probably a slight injury, but if it hits the tree it could be fatal."

Mr Crossland added: "There were still 49 deaths, more than have been killed in rail crashes this year. It's an unacceptable number and it passes relatively unnoticed,

"If a plane or train crash killed that many, there would be lots of coverage, but with road deaths there seems to be an acceptance by the general public.

"The only people who really notice are the victim's family and friends, who are obviously devastated." Insp Malcolm Collis, from Bicester traffic base, said: "Whilst we are encouraged by this fall in the number of deaths on the county's roads, we should not become complacent.

"There's always room for improvement and we will continue to work with our partners to reduce the number further."

Last year started badly, with the death of James Metcalfe, 22. Mr Metcalfe, of Tyrells Way, Sutton Courtenay, was struck by a car as he walked home along the A4130 near Milton Heights in the early hours of New Year's Day.

The last death of 2001 was bus driver Donald Leaver, 65, of Radnage, Buckinghamshire. His empty Stagecoach bus left the A44 Chipping Norton-to-Woodstock Road at 3.45pm on December 27.