DERBY is one of the worst places in the country for road accidents in and around its 100 schools, according to a new report.
Britain's first Local Road Safety Index estimates that the city is ninth in the country for collisions within a 500-metre radius of schools.
Between 2006 and 2011, the data shows that 33.3 accidents occurred – an average of 5.5 a year – well below the 42.5 in Nottingham but much higher than 12 during the same time in Swansea.
In the collisions in Derby, 5.3 children were injured – an average of one a year – and there were 43.1 injuries to adults and children in total over the six years.
The road safety index has been compiled by Axa Insurance to "help parents better understand the risks associated with roads around their local schools to keep their children safe".
It has been put together using 200,000 pieces of data from across the country to track road collisions and casualties.
But the statistics take into account all accidents, regardless of whether or not they were in school term-time.
The report also acknowledges that the child casualty numbers do not necessarily mean pupils who belong to the school near where they have the accident. They could be residents or children passing through the area.
The report's authors hope that parents, schools and local councils will be able to use the information to develop road safety and infrastructure such as speed bumps, crossings or other road-calming measures.
Mandy Palmer, 42, of Prince Charles Avenue, Mackworth, has three children at schools in the area.
She said: "Everyone knows that it is busy near to schools, especially when children are being dropped off in the morning and afternoon.
"But it is parents themselves that ignore parking restrictions at schools so they only have themselves to blame if there are accidents."
Parent Rachel South, 34, of London Road, Derby, has two school-age children.
She said: "I feel these figures could be a lot worse considering the number of children and vehicles on the road at certain times of the day.
"I'm not sure they tell us something we don't already know about how busy roads are outside schools."
Dan Campsall, director of Road Safety Analysis, said: "It is important to understand the road risks around schools to secure safer communities for children in the future.
"The data can be used to enhance road safety education as well as the road environment."
No one was available for comment from Derby City Council.
