Deaths on roads reach record low

The number of deaths on roads in the Thames Valley areas has fallen below 100 in a year for the first time since records began.

Road deaths in 2008 were down to 95, 19.7% lower than in 2007 and 34.3% lower than in 2006.

Sue Brown, chairman of the Safer Roads Partnership Board, said the challenge was to maintain the trend.

The partnership said it was concerned 30% of those killed were aged under 25 and 18% of victims were motorcyclists.

Mick Doyle, Superintendent of roads policing at Thames Valley, said: "The reduction is wonderful news but no comfort for those families that have lost a loved one."

When records of road deaths began in 1926, 4,886 people were killed on the roads in the UK.