'Rusty' motorists warned to drive slower than normal on North Yorkshire roads

The relaxation of some lockdown measures has meant more vehicles are on the road - along with more pedestrians and cyclists.

But officers have noticed that many motorists are struggling to drive safely after not being behind the wheel for weeks.

It has prompted emergency services and local authorities to share a joint message to motorists as part of a national campaign.

The “slow down, save lives” campaign is taking place throughout England and is aiming to keep people safe as some travel restrictions ease.

Harrogate MP’s 'huge concern' over rising unemployment figures

North Yorkshire's roads policing inspector Dave Barf said: “In the last week the roads have begun to change – significantly more motorised traffic is out there returning to work. They’re sharing the roads with more vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians who are still ‘locked down’ and using the roads quite legitimately for their exercise.

“On top of this, many motorists have been making very limited journeys in the past few weeks, or none at all. Our traffic officers have noticed that driving skills in some cases appear to have become decidedly ‘rusty’.

“So, while speed is under the spotlight in this campaign, we’re also reminding motorists to take care – give yourself that little extra time at junctions, remind yourself to check your mirrors, concentrate on your position on the road and remember never to use your mobile phone while driving"

Investigation finds no wrong-doing at Knaresborough tourist attraction after complaints over repair works

Since lockdown measures began, North Yorkshire Police said it has recorded drivers at speeds of up to 132mph.

Officers have highlighted figures which show a vehicle travelling at 35mph rather than 30mph needs an extra two car lengths to stop.

North Yorkshire County Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said reducing excessive speeds is vital in reducing collisions.

He said: “Over recent months and as travel restrictions are gradually eased, so many more people are cycling, walking or using their own cars rather than public transport, so it is essential that we maintain safety on our highways.

“In North Yorkshire we have seen a steady drop in the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads in recent years, but we still have a long way to go. Speed is the most common factor in accidents, so if we can control speeds we can reduce the number of accidents sharply."

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.