New call for road users to help save lives on Gloucestershire’s roads

Most serious collisions in Gloucestershire involve avoidable behaviours, and by slowing down, staying alert and looking out for others, residents can play a major role in keeping themselves and others safe.

The partnership’s shared ambition is to halve the number of people killed and seriously injured on the county’s roads between 2022 and 2032.

A clear call to residents

The assessment shows that the biggest factors behind serious collisions are speeding, distraction and impaired driving. Residents are being asked to:

• Slow down, particularly on rural and residential roads
• Watch for pedestrians and cyclists, especially at junctions and crossings
• Never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Stay focused and avoid in‑car distractions

These small changes can significantly reduce the likelihood of devastating collisions.

What the assessment tells us

The new Road Safety Needs Assessment provides the clearest picture yet of:

• Where collisions are most likely to happen
• Which groups are most at risk — including pedestrians, cyclists and younger drivers
• Which rural routes need targeted action
• The behaviours that contribute most to serious injuries

It confirms that many incidents could be prevented through improved awareness and more considerate behaviour on the road.

Partnership action already underway

The Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) — including the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Gloucestershire County Council, Gloucestershire Constabulary, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, National Highways and others — is using the findings to focus resources where they will make the greatest difference.

Actions include:

• Joint safety campaigns and improved messaging at pedestrian crossings
• Targeted police enforcement in high‑risk areas
• Work with schools and youth settings to reach younger drivers
• Investment in safer road design and engineering on priority routes
• Support for communities seeking 20mph schemes

“A shared mission to save lives”

The partnership agrees this new assessment marks a turning point. It gives everyone—from public bodies to individual drivers—a clearer understanding of how we can prevent harm.

Improving road safety isn’t about numbers; it’s about protecting families, preventing lifechanging injuries, and making Gloucestershire’s roads safer for everyone.

Nick Evans, Chair of the GRSP and Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “I’m really proud to have commissioned this vital piece of work. Every serious injury on our roads has a lasting impact on families, communities, and the emergency responders that attend to these tragic and often preventable incidents. The Road Safety Needs Assessment gives us the clearest picture yet of the factors that contribute to deaths and serious injuries on Gloucestershire’s roads. Now that we have this, we can do something about it, whether that’s through engineering, education or enforcement.

“This assessment really shows just how much we can achieve by working together. By focusing our efforts on vulnerable road users, high risk routes, and meaningful behaviour change, we can take targeted action to make the County’s roads safer for everyone.”

Cllr Lisa Spivey, Leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said: “This partnership approach is essential, and I’m committed to continuing to work closely with colleagues and communities to turn insight into action and help save lives. This assessment gives us a powerful evidence base to drive meaningful change on Gloucestershire’s roads. Too many families have felt the devastating impact of serious collisions, and the findings make clear that many of these incidents are avoidable. By using this data to focus our efforts—whether that’s on rural routes, vulnerable road users, or behaviours like speed and distraction—we can target the actions that will save the most lives. I’m proud of the joint work already happening across the Road Safety Partnership and of the commitment shown by every organisation involved. This is a shared responsibility, and we will continue working closely with communities to make sure everyone can travel safely, wherever they live and however they get around.”

The full needs assessment is available online Road Safety | Inform Gloucestershire and was based on a detailed analysis of death and serious injury data in Gloucestershire from January 2017 to June 2024, to identify at risk groups and collision hotspots in the county to inform future work and target prevention activity.