We are supporting Brakes biggest annual road safety campaign by encouraging local communities to share important road safety messages as we work together to make Torbay’s roads safe for all users.

As driver behaviour continues to be the main cause of collisions on Torbay’s roads, we want to raise awareness that every life on Torbay’s roads matter, and every death and injury is preventable. Whether you walk, drive, or use two wheels, we all have a responsibility to stay alert to other road users and pedestrians.

In September, we launched our new road safety campaign at South Devon College, engaging and educating more than 350 students and staff. During October half-term at our first Thriving Spaces event in Torbay Road in Paignton, which focused on road safety, thousands of reflective bands and other road safety merchandise was issued to children and young people. Drivers of all ages and abilities also got to test their reactive times at specially designed interactive activities.

Later this month, we are launching the next phase of our road safety campaign with the release of six short videos – all designed to get road users to think about and change their behaviour when it comes to using the local highway network.

In 2021, there were 230 reported collisions on Torbay’s roads, 199 of those involved a car, 52 involved a motorcycle and 26 involved a cyclist. Of these collisions, there were sadly 2 fatalities, 49 people seriously injured and 244 people slightly injured. The Department for Transport has calculated that the cost to society (both financial and emotional) for a collision stands at over £2,053,814 per fatality, £237,527 per serious injury and £24,911 per slight injury. Meaning in 2021, collisions on Torbay’s roads equated to almost £22million.

Cllr Mike Morey, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Environment and Culture for Torbay Council, said; “Road safety is complex but of the upmost importance to both the council and the residents of Torbay. Through our own road safety campaign and working with and supporting partner organisations we want to reduce the number of road casualties and fatal incidents on Torbay’s roads. The cost to society and the emotional impact this has on our communities is phenomenal and is something that needs to be reduced. Everyone living and working in Torbay has the right to get about safely, but in order to do that, everyone needs to play their part and recognise how their own behaviours could contribute to Torbay’s road collision data – don’t become a statistic, let’s all make Torbay’s roads safer.”

We will soon be making available on our website, social media graphics, posters, and videos that everyone in the community can download, share and display through their own networks.

Read more about road safety in Torbay