THE number of people killed or seriously injured on North Yorkshire's roads has fallen by 20 per cent in the last year.

However, figures released today also show the relative likelihood of being killed in the region if you are in an accident is more than twice than the national average.

Nationally, road deaths increased by four per cent in 2014 compared with 2013, to 1,775, but in North Yorkshire, the number of people killed on the roads in the region fell from 51 to 40.

Figures released today in North Yorkshire County Council's annual casualty report also showed 2.4 per cent of all road collisions in North Yorkshire result in a fatality compared to 1.1 per cent of road collisions nationally, meaning the likelihood of being killed on the roads in North Yorkshire is higher than the national average.

The number of people seriously injured in North Yorkshire fell by eight per cent in 2014 to 391, while nationally the number increased by five per cent, while traffic volumes across the country increased by almost 2.5 per cent.

County Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for road safety, said: "Road safety remains a priority for the county council. Every death on our roads is a death too many and we are therefore pleased that the number of fatalities is falling.

"Our road safety team and partners in the 95 Alive road safety partnership work extremely hard to get safety messages across to the travelling public, but there is much more to do. In such a large rural county which attracts so many visitors and tourists, with an extensive network of winding country roads and all the speed issues that go with it, we cannot afford to be complacent. We are encouraged by the findings in this report, but we want to see the numbers of those killed or seriously injured reducing even further."

 The majority of car crashes were caused by excess speed, 69 per cent, while 11 per cent of motorbike crashes and eight per cent of van collisions were also caused by speed. Four per cent were caused by alcohol, compared to five per cent nationally.

Cycling casualties have increased by 19 per cent in the region, less than the 29 per cent national figure, which the authority put down to the growth of cycling in the county.

Cllr McKenzie said: "Cycling has raised its profile in North Yorkshire with the Tour de France Grand Depart and the Tour de Yorkshire, so through the 95 Alive Partnership, with other agencies and district councils we will do everything we can both to encourage cycling and to make it safer.

"We are pressing ahead with our educational initiatives to drive home the message that drinking and driving is unacceptable and costs lives."