WITH more than 20 people killed on the county’s roads this year, there has never been a more dangerous time to be a driver in Essex.

Now, using figures released by the East of England Ambulance Service we can reveal the most statistically dangerous roads used by Echo readers every day in south Essex.

The number of road collisions in Essex has increased year-on-year by 19.5 per cent, according to data released in February.

But while this includes minor shunts, the ambulance service data only includes crashes where medical assistance was required.

A Freedom of Information Request found there were 3,657 incidents attended by ambulance crews across south Essex between March 2014 and March this year.

The service ranks each call on a six point scale from immediately life-threatening, which requires an eight minute response time, to non-emergency.

The figures reveal one fifth of accidents were logged as being immediately life-threatening, with 16 people per week being taken to hospital due to road collisions.

There is an average of two serious accidents per week on the A127, with 100 along the Basildon stretch and 99 in the Southend area during the two-year period.

Statistically, Rochford Road, in Southend, is one of the most dangerous streets because out of its 15 accidents, a third were classed as immediately life-threatening.

Clay Hill Road, Basildon, also has a high frequency of serious crashes, with five out of 14 crashes needing an eight-minute response.

The ambulance reports do not include details of fatalities but some of the most dangerous roads have seen deaths in recent years.

Joan Gilbert, 84, died after being hit by a van at the zebra crossing in Benfleet High Road, on December 30 last year.

The road is one of eight in Castle Point district which has had ten or more serious accidents in the last two years.

Andrew Richardson, 23, died at the Royal London Hospital after he was hit by a car in Victoria Avenue, shortly before 8pm on Thursday, October 15.

He suffered serious injuries and died two days later.

Victoria Road has seen 26 serious accidents in the last two years.

Improvements are already being made to the A127, but a campaigner who started a petition after a boy died on the road in February believes more can be done.

Michael Coates, 32, of Basildon, started a petition after 13-year-old Joseph Sheridan was killed on the A127 in February, close to Mayflower Retail Park.

He wants a footbridge installed in the area after a series of fatal crashes, which included the deaths of his friends Leearna Briggs, 16, who was six months pregnant, and Shara Stone, 27, both from Pitsea, who were struck by a Land Rover in 2003.

Mr Coates said: “I lost two friends and we can’t keep losing lives.

“We got 534 signatures. I have sent it off but I still haven’t had any feedback about it.

“I’m hoping the petition gets results.”

Improvements to the A127’s Nevendon junction began last week, which will include creating an extra lane at the roundabout and extending merging lanes towards Wickford.

To view the petition, visit change.org and search A127.