ONE in three people killed on the road is over the age of 50 - that's the shock statistic which has led to a major road safety campaign on the Fylde Coast.

Already this year two mature pedestrians have died on Blackpool roads with many more injured and in both these cases, as in most of the accidents last year, there has been a crossing nearby which has not been used.

Others accidents have been as a result of people crossing between parked cars or being hit by cars reversing out of a driveway.

In a bid to get the alarming figures down, Blackpool Police have teamed up with the town's road safety team to get everyone - pedestrians and drivers - to take a look at how they behave on the road.

As PC Steve South, from Blackpool Police's road safety department, explained: "The problem has got a lot worse during the past few years and older people are the ones who are most at risk.

"They don't tend to cross at the right places, they pick a point and want to cross there because they have done it before.

"However, as we get older we all get slower and can't judge the speed of cars as well."

The question older people need to be asking themselves is can they see and hear all right, say the police, especially with new cars becoming quieter.

At the same time drivers need to be more aware of older people on the roads and appreciate that it takes them longer to get across.

Leaflets are going into almost every public place, such as post offices, bingo halls, libraries, community centres and shops while ward beat officers will help to spread the message.

"The whole idea of this publicity is to raise everyone's awareness to the fact that one third of fatal accidents involve pedestrians over the age of 50," said Sergeant Tim Parker, Blackpool road safety campaign manager.

"It is not being patronising to ask these people to take extra care of themselves.

"It is also only right that drivers allow elderly pedestrians more time and slow down if necessary."

Blackpool Council's road safety officer Carol Bracegirdle added: "People tend to think that accidents happen to others, but we need to stress they can happen to anyone who is in the wrong place at the wrong time."

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