THE number of serious and fatal road crashes in the region fell last year, statistics reveal.
Road deaths and casualties also fell nationally since 2003, according to Department of Transport figures.
The number of drink-driving-related road accidents reported to police nationally last year rose from 580 in 2003 to 590.
Road deaths in the North-East fell to 128 last year from 132 in 2003, and there were 1,158 serious accidents compared with 1,261 in 2003.
Figures for Yorkshire and Humberside were also down -311 people died on the roads last year compared with 318 in 2003. There were 3,486 people seriously injured, a fall from 3,593.
Nationally, there was also a decrease in fatal accidents to 3,221 deaths -an eight per cent fall. Serious injuries also fell by eight per cent, to 31,130.
Mary Williams, the chief executive of road safety charity Brake, said: "The achievements of speed cameras in saving lives are being squandered by neglecting the growing drink-drive epidemic."
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