Bad driving is top of survey (From Gazette Series)

Bad driving is top of survey

ROAD safety has out-ranked violent crime, burglary and drugs as the number one public concern in Gloucestershire.

Consultations carried out by the county's six Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships found 70 percent of people across the county considered bad driving to be the most significant issue in their local community.

Residents highlighted problems including joyriding, speeding and dangerous driving.

The findings of surveys in Cheltenham, Gloucester, Tewkesbury, Cotswold, Stroud and Forest of Dean are revealed in each district's Crime and Disorder Strategy 2005-8.

In the Stroud district, 67 percent of respondents said they were concerned about road safety issues, compared with 60 percent who were worried about burglary and vehicle crime and 55 per cent concerned about drugs.

Across the county, one in four people said driver behaviour was a big problem in the area in which they live.

Gloucestershire crime reduction co-ordinator Jo Kline said: "Road safety is at the forefront of people's minds because it affects their day-to-day life.

"They may not feel safe crossing the road, they worry about being involved in an accident while driving or they don't like cars speeding past their homes.

"On the other hand, unless they are directly affected by a crime such as robbery, they do not perceive it to be a problem.

"A car accident isn't a crime, but the circumstances that may have caused it, such as drink-driving or speeding, are.

"We carry out these surveys every three years to find out what people are concerned about and it is then up to each district to decide how that impacts on their area and what they are going to do about it."

The Gloucestershire Community Safety Partnership is currently looking at new ways to tackle the problem of anti-social driving behaviour. The organisation's Anti Social Behaviour Group, which includes representatives from the county's key agencies, is considering a number of initiatives, including educating motorists and working with offenders.

To view the Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy 2005-8 online, visit www.gloscrimereduction.org.uk or www.stroud.gov.uk