April sees lowest number of RTCs in 27 years

Just eight in a three week period

The number of road traffic collisions on the Island's roads during April was the lowest it has been for nearly 30 years.

Since lockdown measures came into force, the police recorded just eight RTCs during a three week period between March and April.

Taking to Twitter, the Chief Constable said the news was 'welcomed, but entirely predictable', as the figure marked the fewest of any month since current reporting began in 1993.

In a welcome, but entirely predictable, development there were fewer road traffic collisions on the Isle of Man’s roads in April than in any month since the current way of recording them began in 1993.

— CC Gary Roberts (@CCGaryRoberts) May 4, 2020

It is an 81% drop on last year's figure where 43 RTCs were recorded between 27 March and 19 April.

As part of government's plan to reduce strain on the emergency services during Covid-19, a national speed limit of 40mph has been imposed, the first time in the Island's history.

Police say the decrease is also attributed to fewer vehicles on the road due to lockdown.

The sole fatal RTC during restrictions, which saw a car come off the road along Marine Drive, remains under investigation.

Across April 2020 there were 14 RTCs recorded in total, compared to 56 in April 2019.