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Police hail successful TT road safety campaign

There were 13 per cent fewer road traffic accidents during TT 2010 than in last year's festival fortnight.

Police are hailing this year's TT road safety campaign a success and say the result was achieved despite a five per cent rise in the number of motorbikes on the Island.

Head of the Roads Policing Unit Inspector Mark Britton said: 'It looks like collision figures are down on last year, with 86 collisions recorded at this year's festival compared with 99 last year. There were 57 collisions on the mountain circuit during TT 2009, compared with 49 this time.

He went on: 'I attribute that to the great partnerships we have developed with other agencies, which enable us to collaborate over the road safety campaign, and other strategies to help keep accidents to a minimum.

'There's a substantial amount of pre-planning involved and it's pleasing when the extensive preparations achieve the result we all aim for. It seems people are heeding the warnings and clearly they are avoiding the fines that can result and, importantly, reducing the number of serious accidents leading to death or life changing injuries.'

Statistics show there was one fatality, and 24 slight injury collisions, which was the same as in 2009.

But other categories showed a reduction, with 24 serious injury accidents (down from 26) and 32 damage only accidents (compared with 44 last year).

Just under 300 people, 62 more than last year, were reported for offences varying from speeding to failing to wear a seatbelt, and riding or driving without due care and attention.

Home Affairs Minister Adrian Earnshaw is thanking residents and visitors for their co-operation with the speed limits and one-way system on the Mountain Road.

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