'More driving in an angry way' on Sussex roads say police

Jo Shiner, who is also the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for roads policing, spoke during a meeting with Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne, where she appealed to people to think twice about their behaviour.

Ms Shiner said 28 people had died on Sussex roads between January and the end of June this year, compared to 40 in the whole of 2019 and 46 in 2021.

A further 534 people have been seriously injured so far this year – though it was stressed that an injury such as a broken finger was classed as serious for the records.

Ms Shiner said: “We are definitely seeing a change of social attitude post-Covid whereby there seems to be a lack of patience on our roads, there seems to be less tolerant driving on our roads, and there seems to be more driving in an angry way – everyone is in a hurry.

“I absolutely urge people just to think twice.

“When you get behind the wheel or when you’re using road space in another capacity, it is far more important that you and others get where you need to be safely than speedily.”

The reasons given for the increase in accidents included everything from drivers using mobile phones to drink driving, failing to wear a seatbelt, tiredness and the condition of the vehicle.

Ms Shiner said enforcement played a ‘huge part’ in dealing with the problem – but the reality is that there are far more cars, bikes and pedestrians than there are police.

She stressed the need to use ‘prevention, education, persuasion and influence’ to help drivers change their minds and get through to them about the acceptability of their behaviour.

Speaking about the development of speed awareness courses and motorway awareness courses, she added: “It’s really important that we continue to try to educate people to change their own behaviour.

“Because what that means is we can then use the enforcement resources for those people who have absolutely no intention of changing their behaviour on the roads.”