A HARD-hitting campaign has been launched to graphically illustrate the devastating consequences of traffic collisions after it emerged 36 people were killed on Bolton's roads over four years.

The campaign, "It's Time" is designed to bring home the impact driving recklessly can have on families and loved ones.

The Safer Roads Partnership is calling on motorists to think differently about how they drive and the journeys they are going to make, before getting behind the wheel.

In Bolton 380 people were killed or seriously injured on Bolton's roads between 2016 and 2020.

On average, 681 people have been killed or seriously injured on Greater Manchester roads each year over the last five years.

The Limits Save Lives campaign comes as data shows that speeding over the limit kills or seriously injuries 21 per cent of people involved in crashes in Greater Manchester and up to 40 per cent of car journeys in the city-region have been recorded to be over the speed limit.

The Bolton News:

Of all reported collisions in Greater Manchester, 58 per cent involve a driver aged between 17 and 35, while 80 per cent of all fatal collisions involve a male driver.

Research shows that young men do not believe serious consequences are likely and believe the worst case scenario is a speeding ticket. The purpose of this campaign is to demonstrate this is not the case, and to change behaviours.

PC John Durham, Family Liaison Officer at Greater Manchester Police, said: “The dangerous things you do when driving, whether that is driving at speed or with alcohol and drugs, it all adds to the chances of something going wrong.

“You never ever get used to the reaction of telling somebody that their loved one is dead. You do not want to be the subject of one of these stories.”

Scott Barry-Godsell, Firefighter at Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service, said: “No drink for the road is what we say. The smallest amount of alcohol can have a massive impact on the decisions you make, a split-second decision can have a lifetime of consequences.”