THE number of fatal or serious car crashes in North Somerset were up over 25 percent last year.  

According to data from the Department for Transport (DfT), there were 59 fatal or serious collisions (FSCs) in North Somerset in 2023, while there were 47 in 2022.

FSCs have gone up every year since 2020 when traffic levels were low due to the pandemic.  

However, the figures remain lower than every year up to 2019. Between 2014 and 2018, there was an average of 65 FSCs in North Somerset every year. 

While serious crashes increased, the number of fatal crashes went down last year, dropping from five in 2022 to three in 2023.  

The figures come at the beginning of Road Safety Week, which aims to raise awareness of "the devastating toll of road crashes and celebrate the work of the incredible people who support families after a road death or serious injury”. 

The campaign, which is led by road safety charity Brake, lasts from 17 to 23 November. 

According to Brake, more than 1700 people die on UK roads every year, and another 30,000 receive serious, life-changing injuries. 

Ross Moorlock, Chief Executive at Brake, said: “Road casualties are not just statistics. Behind every number is a grief-stricken family whose lives have been changed forever in an instant. 

“The demand on our service continues to grow as road deaths and injuries show no sign of reducing. Every year, more families suffer the devastating impact of a road crash. Every year, more and more families come to us in their darkest and most difficult times."