Danger of rural roads laid bare as number of fatalities rises dramatically
Road users are being warned they are far more likely to be killed on rural roads than urban roads.
Stark statistics released by insurer, NFU Mutual, show that 71 road users in the West Midlands, including Shropshire, lost their lives on rural roads last year. The figure is 37 per cent more than in 2020 and 15 per cent than those who died on urban roads.
Campaigners in the county have been calling for average speed cameras on the A41 - an accident blackspot in the county - as fatal and serious injury accidents continue to plague the route.
Across the West Midlands figures show that 35 car drivers and their passengers were killed on rural roads in 2021, over 50 per cent more than those killed on urban roads in the same year.
There were 15 motorcyclist deaths on rural roads, an increase of 275 per cent in 2021, and 14 pedestrians lost their lives on rural roads in 2021 in the West Midlands, over twice the number from 2020.
Jade Devlin, Rural Roads Specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “Rural roads are a lifeline to many isolated people and a shared space for the entire population, so this is a national tragedy, a key concern of the public at large.”
Nationally, there were well over 10,471 fatalities or serious injuries on rural roads in 2021, an increase of over 1,000 – 12 per cent – from 2020.
Within this figure, the number of people who lost their lives on rural roads in 2021 increased by seven per cent to 981, more than two-thirds higher than the number of people killed on urban roads during the same period.
The figures have also led to calls for mutual respect has to be at the forefront of prevention of accidents.
In response to the disproportionate risk on rural roads, NFU Mutual runs the Rural Road Safety campaign. The campaign, which is supported by the Department for Transport, British Cycling and the British Horse Society, aims to raise awareness of the unique hazards of rural roads and support all road users to reduce road casualties.
Kevin Sutherland from Hinstock, lives near the A41. He said it was still a terrifying road to be on. However, he said there were improvements being made in many areas in particular the A529.
“The visibility improvements at the Sweet Appletree crossroads for example have made a tangible difference.
“Shropshire Council is doing what it can in difficult financial circumstances,” he said.
Patsy Pyke chairman of the East Shropshire Riding Club said one of the club members was knocked of her horse a few months ago and is facing a second knee operation.
“Many riders have taken to wearing ‘hat cams’ while out on the roads because, if drivers see them they do tend to slow down.
“We would urge drivers to slow down to 10 miles an hour and pass wide and slow.
“And we are also urging riders to show their appreciation, wear high-vis clothing and not go out on horses that they can’t control.”
“It is all about mutual respect between all road users,” she said.
“Lorry and delivery drivers are generally very good.”
Haydn Wills from the cycle club, Mid Shropshire Wheelers, said he feared attitude to cyclist by some drivers would never change.
“The attitude on Dutch roads and many other parts of Europe is very different,” he said.
“We as cyclists need to be seen as an object to avoid in the road rather than one to drive through.
“There seems to be a lack of patience, despite the recent change in legislation.”
