DRIVERS killed or seriously injured on Cumbria's roads have risen by 6.5 per cent compared to last year, a meeting of senior policing figures has heard.
Latest data on the number of drivers Killed or Serious Injured (KSIs) in Cumbria came at a meeting of Cumbria Police Public Accountability Panel (PAC) on Monday.
The public meetings give Cumbria's Police Fire and Crime Commissioner, (PFCC) David Allen, a chance to hold the most senior police leaders to account on performance.
Monday's meeting saw the PFCC receive an end of year performance report from Cumbria Police.
It revealed that as well as a 6.5 per cent overall increase in KSIs, Cumbria saw a 4.5 per cent increase in fatal collisions in the 2025/26 financial year.
Given Cumbria's relatively small numbers, even the increase from 21 deaths to 23 represents a 4.5 per cent annual increase.
Cumbria saw 47 collisions causing serious injury in the 2025/26 financial year, a 38.2 per cent increase from the 38 recorded in 2024/25.
Policing figures heard that safety factors observed in these incidents are predominantly poor observation or driving too fast for the conditions.
Police Fire and Crime Commissioner David Allen said: "We've seen an increase, what plans does the constabulary have in place then?
"This is not only a constabulary issue so what are we doing with partner agencies to address this increase?
"I'm presuming there's a focus on the locations, there will be hotspot locations as there are for anti-social behaviour and other things."
Deputy Chief Constable Jonny Blackwell said: "Cumbria Road Safety Partnership have adopted the Road Harms Index, its innovative its pioneering, but actually whilst we're using it for our enforcement as you say, it's actually key that the partners are also using it to target their resources.
"So for example, when they're doing work on the A595 and A590, actually we're building in long-term fixed cameras."
The Deputy Chief Constable said that measures such as this can be backed by evidence in the Road Harms Index on whether the road in questions is a hotspot for collisions.
Mr Blackwell said: "It's not just the police using that but getting the partners to buy-into it and they are."
Chief Executive in the Police Fire and Crime Commissioner's Office, Gill Shearer said: "Really disappointing about the increase, appreciate it's not a wholly policing matter, what would be your message to the public?
"We all use the roads as a member of the public, what's your recommendation to the public?"
Mr Blackwell said that it would be: "slow down, just drive to the conditions."
The commissioner said that it will be "interesting to see what this summer brings, I think we're expecting more visitors than ever, given the global situation, staycation is probably what it's going to be over the summer."
Mr Blackwell added that drug-driving offences are nationally outpacing drink-driving offences.
He said: "We train all our officers in the ability to do the roadside drugs testing, it's a national cause for concern and we're not immune to it here in Cumbria."
Cumbria Constabulary launched Operation Spotlight in July 2025, targeting the fatal four: speeding, use of a mobile phone, not wearing a seatbelt and driving under the influence of drink or drugs.
The media campaign may have contributed to a 17.9 per cent reduction in collisions compared to July 2024.
