Serious Car Crashes Up 70% Around Washington
The number of 'slight' collisions has fallen from 582 to 387 over the same time-frame in Washington and the surrounding areas.
Car crashes categorised as ‘serious’ and occurring in and around Washington have risen from 47 to 80 each year over five years.
Serious car crashes are not the only category of car crashes which have increased in number. There were three fatal crashes in 2014/15, compared to six in 2018/19.
However, the number of ‘slight’ collisions has fallen from 582 to 387. As a result, the total number of car crashes in Washington has fallen from 632 to 473 per year over the last five years.
The data includes any crash within a five-mile radius of Washington, so includes parts of Sunderland and Gateshead
Media literacy charity The Student View made the findings via a Freedom of Information request to Northumbria Police.
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “The overall total number of collisions in Washington has actually decreased, but sadly there will always be individuals who believe the laws of the road do not apply to them.
“That’s why we have dedicated motor patrol officers who patrol our region’s roads and work closely with partners every day in order to keep road users as safe as possible.
“Speeding does not always cause accidents, but statistics show drivers travelling at excess speed is one of the major contributory factors in serious and fatal road traffic collisions.
“As a result, we will continue to actively enforce speed limits across our Force area and will work hard to ensure anybody who does break the law when behind the wheel is rightly and appropriately dealt with.”