MORE than 100 people were taken to the Emergency Department by ambulance after being injured in road collisions over the past year, new data has revealed.
A total of 135 people required emergency medical treatment, with 38 needing to be admitted to hospital, according to a response to a request made under the Freedom of Information law.
Five people were so badly injured that they had to be transferred to an NHS hospital in the UK. In total, patients transferred to the UK spent 110 days in hospital, including 24 nights in Southampton General Hospital.
The data was released months after the government launched its first ‘Collision and Casualty Reduction Plan‘, which aims to halve the number of serious injuries and deaths on Jersey’s roads over the next decade.
The plan follows models used in Sweden and the Netherlands, focusing on forgiving road design, safer vehicles, appropriate speeds, better driver behaviour, effective post-collision care and response, and learning lessons from collisions to try and prevent similar collisions occurring in the future.
Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan said the strategy was a “decisive, coordinated action to reduce road harm and protect our community”.
“No loss of life on our roads is acceptable,” he said. “We all have a role to play in making our roads safer. Whether you drive a car, ride a bike, or walk, your decisions matter. Together, we can build a road system where safety is prioritised, and lives are saved.”
Meanwhile, Reform Jersey politician Catherine Curtis is asking the Home Affairs Minister to create a new standalone offence for failing to stop and report an accident following a serious or fatal injury.
If approved, the offence would fall under the Road Traffic (Jersey) Law 1956 and could result in a lifetime driving disqualification.
Deputy Curtis pointed to figures which she said showed Jersey has the highest road casualty rate in Britain. During the last five years, there have been nine fatalities, 242 serious injuries, and almost 1,000 slight injuries.
The Reform Jersey politician acknowledged that a lifetime driving ban was a “serious legal measure” but argued that it could be “justified for several reasons” – including preventing dangerous drivers from re-offending, ensuring drivers take responsibility instead of fleeing, discouraging reckless driving and hit-and-run incidents, and making sure offenders face serious consequences.
