The A595 is Cumbria’s most dangerous road.

Police figures show the route had the most crashes involving deaths or serious injuries and accounted for nine per cent of the worst collisions – 81 – last year.

The road, which runs from Carlisle to west Cumbria and down to Dalton in the south of the county, is followed on a force chart by the A66, running from west to east Cumbria.

This had seven per cent – 63 – of serious crashes. The A6, which runs from Carlisle, was third with six per cent – 55 collisions.

The figures have emerged in a top-level report on road safety to Cumbria’s crime commissioner, Richard Rhodes. It shows that the number of fatalities on the county’s roads dropped in the last 10 years, from 57 in 2004 to 26 last year.

That echoes the national trend and experts have put it down to a combination of factors, including education, improvements in vehicle safety and technology and better medical care.

In the report, Chief Inspector Matt Kennerley said: “There has been a definite slowing down in casualty rates in recent years, both nationally and within Cumbria.”

He said nationally almost six in 10 deaths on the roads happen in rural areas.

“Therefore the nature and geography of Cumbria presents a significant challenge to keep road users safe,” he added. “Collisions resulting in death or serious injury remain geographically spread throughout the county. However there is a clear correlation with the main arterial routes as these roads carry the highest number of vehicles.

“These areas remain a priority for visible patrol presence and enforcement activity and are also considered by partners for engineering opportunities.”

Nationally, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists account for almost 50 per cent of all deaths.

Rural young drivers are also “over-represented” in crash figures compared to how many have licences.

“It is due to the geography of the county and statistical analysis that young drivers remain a priority for Cumbria,” said Chief Insp Kennerley.

The force and other organisations run a number of operations and schemes to improve road safety, including roadside awareness training.

Mr Rhodes’ executive board, which includes police chiefs, will consider the report at a meeting on Wednesday at the force’s county headquarters.