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Search forDeadliest stretch of A38 is revealed
Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 10:32
In the three years from 2005 to 2007 there were 37 accidents on this section of the A38, with two of them involving fatalities.
In that time there were 198 recorded collisions on the A38 from the Tamar Bridge to Westover, at Ivybridge. Of these, five were fatal and nine were serious.
The stretch between Manadon and Forder Valley was the second most dangerous, according to a report prepared for the Sustainable Communities overview and scrutiny panel.
On this stretch, in both directions, one accident was fatal, two caused serious injuries, and 23 were minor.
The panel called for the report after concerns were raised last winter about the number of serious and fatal collisions on the A38.
Most of the accidents involved private cars, but there were also 17 motorcyclists, seven cyclists and four pedestrians.
Two junctions stand out as hot-spots for shunts. There were seven collisions at the St Budeaux on-slip eastbound and seven at the Weston Mill off-slip westbound.
Most of the drivers involved in collisions were from the Plymouth area.
As part of its £1.2million works programme for this financial year, the Highways Agency will be aiming a publicity campaign at educating local drivers.
The agency will focus on informing drivers of the collision statistics and encouraging better attention to road safety.
"I think there should be more speed control on the A38," Terri Beer, Conservative councillor for Plympton Erle, said.
"Deep Lane has always caused a lot of accidents, mainly because of people queuing at rush hour. There have been very high death rates over the years.
"I would say more education is needed, along with improvements at Deep Lane, which we are all fighting for at the moment."
Safety awareness campaigns now being promoted as part of the city council's drive to reduce casualties include cinema advertising, local radio and events covered by regional TV.
The campaign will aim to increase drivers' awareness of the dangers of tiredness, inappropriate and excessive speed and being aware of motorcycles.
Work is going on to improve the visibility of drivers and riders on slip-roads.
Give way signs have been replaced or upgraded at the end of the slip-roads to make them more prominent, and to remind drivers on slip-roads that they have to give way to vehicles on the main road.
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