ROAD collisions in in the North-East accounted for 16 per cent of trauma admissions to hospital last year, new figures have revealed.

Road safety charity Brake say this is the lowest figure across the country where the average stands at 20 per cent.

The Yorkshire and Humber region saw 1,215 people admitted as trauma patients, amounting to 21 per cent of the total hospital trauma admissions for the area.

Road collisions were the second largest cause of trauma admissions, after falls from less than two metres.

Last year, 11,486 road users, the equivalent of 31-a-day, were admitted to trauma centres in England and Wales with life-threatening injuries.

Brake also analysed data covering 75,820 road crash victims admitted to trauma centres during the last decade. The data reveals that 16-25 year olds are the most affected age group and motorcyclists comprise the largest proportion of admissions.

The data comes at the start of the UK’s biggest road safety week. Brake’s Speed Down Save Lives campaign aims to raise awareness about the dangers of driving too fast.