A NEW road safety campaign has been launched this week to encourage the region’s drivers to ‘look out for each other’.

The charity Brake is urging drivers to protect people on foot and bike by slowing down to 20mph in communities, looking longer and taking it slower at junctions and bends, and giving people plenty of room and consideration.

According to recent figures there were 75,421 fixed penalty notices issued for ‘careless driving’ and speeding offences in the South West in 2013 equating to one every seven minutes.

The statistics, launched in support of the ‘look out for each other campaign’ also show that last year there were 190 people killed and 1,795 seriously injured on roads in the South-West last year.

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, said: “When drivers use roads without care for others the consequences can be tragic and horrific – people killed and badly injured, lives ruined forever, because of a moment of impatience or selfishness.”