A HEREFORD road safety charity has spoken out as new road casualty statistics for Herefordshire are announced.

More were killed on the area's roads last year. Eight people died, while six were killed in 2020.

Meanwhile, 96 serious injuries were recorded, an increase on the year before, when 83 people were badly hurt.

Provisional figures from the Department for Transport suggest there were 445 road casualties in Herefordshire in 2021, a rise from 337 the year before, but fewer than the 498 in 2019.

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A charity that was set up in memory of Emma Louise Young, who tragically lost her life in a road traffic accident when she was just 23, says that while figures are lower than 2019, they show that there is more work to do to keep the roads safe.

Angela Tyler, who set up the ELY Memorial Fund said: "It takes a split second to change someone's life for ever, when you are driving.

"There is nothing that can prepare you for the news that a loved one has been involved in a fatal car accident.

"Accidents will always happen, but more needs to be done to make sure we can limit them as much as possible."

"We need to to get people to appreciate how dangerous the roads can be."

The charity is running its annual "Young Driver Experience" in July giving 14-17 year olds the chance to learn about road safety, first aid and car maintenence, while learning about the dangers of drink and drug driving.

Mrs Tyler said: "We hope that by teaching the county's youngsters at an early age, we can bring up a generation of drivers better equipped to drive safely and this will hopefully encourage their older siblings and parents aswell."

The coronavirus pandemic saw road casualties drop across Great Britain as drivers stayed at home during lockdowns, but charities have warned the Government must do more tackle an uptick in injuries from traffic accidents.

Overall, across Great Britain there were 127,967 road casualties in 2021, an 11 per cent rise on the year before, while 1,560 people were killed.

Commenting on the Department for Transport's figures, Mark Turner, chief executive of the Road Victims Trust, said: "It remains a terrible fact that four people will be killed on the roads of the UK each day, with many more suffering life-changing injuries.

"The devastation and trauma caused by these collisions is immense and it is disturbing to see a climb in the numbers of people affected."