AS the number of deaths of Suffolk's roads shows a steep rise in 2003, the police and county council are trying to make roads safer.However while the number of deaths has increased sharply this year, the number of fatal accidents is lower than 2002 – there have been many more "multiple fatal" accidents.

AS the number of deaths of Suffolk's roads shows a steep rise in 2003, the police and county council are trying to make roads safer.

However while the number of deaths has increased sharply this year, the number of fatal accidents is lower than 2002 – there have been many more "multiple fatal" accidents.

And the number of people seriously injured on Suffolk's roads is continuing to fall.

"We have to recognise there is a very slim dividing line between serious injury accidents and fatals in many cases," said Ch Insp Alan Pawsey from Suffolk Police.

"However fatal accidents are devastating for everyone involved – the families and the police officers who have to deal with them."

The police and county council have drawn up a list of 14 roads in Suffolk which are given special treatment as "KSI (Killed or Seriously Injured) Routes." These range from the A1071 between Ipswich and Sudbury to the A11 between Barton Mills and Thetford in the north west of the county.

They are given special attention – and the accident figures have fallen substantially on these.

"We talk about the three Es – Engineering, Enforcement and Education – and these have helped reduce accident figures on these routes.

"But we always need to look at other factors – the A1101 near Mildenhall air base hasn't figured on the list until now but there have been several serious accidents there just recently," said Ch Insp Pawsey.