DRIVER error was the biggest contributing factor in crashes across Dorset last year, figures suggest.

Department for Transport data categorises crashes by cause according to police reports, with 78 different factors such as poor weather conditions, and pedestrians stepping into the road.

However the most common factors were those where drivers misjudged the situation, for instance by not looking properly or assessing vehicle speed incorrectly.

RAC road safety spokesman Pete Williams said: “More people lose their lives and are injured on Britain’s roads in accidents caused by driver or rider error than for any other reason.

“Last year nearly two thirds of the fatalities on our roads were put down to mistakes.

“The two biggest driving errors that led to the most deaths and accidents were losing control of a vehicle and failing to look properly.

“Sadly, the picture doesn’t seem to be improving as these figures are fairly typical of recent years’ data.”

The data includes cyclists.

Bournemouth saw 522 crash casualties in 2017, with four fatalities and 78 serious injuries.

The driver failing to look properly contributed to 151 crashes, and failing to judge another vehicle’s speed to 49.

In Poole there were 398 casualties, two fatalities and 52 serious injuries.

Failing to look contributed to 109 crashes, and ‘bad turns or manoeuvres’ to 38 incidents.

Across the rest of the county crashes accounted for 1,183 casualties last year, with 21 people killed and 199 seriously injured. Here, failing to look was again the main contributor, accounting for 208 crashes. Failing to judge speed was in second place, causing 90 crashes.

Other common factors in the conurbation were pedestrians failing to look properly, the driver or rider being careless or reckless, and tailgating.

Rural Dorset saw more crashes caused by bad weather and drivers travelling too fast for the conditions.

The RAC is calling for a dedicated crash investigation body to be set up to “better understand the root causes of accidents”.

Mr Williams said: “While everyone makes mistakes while driving, motorists need to realise the potential consequences of losing focus on what is a complex and demanding task.

“There are, of course, plenty of accidents that are wholly avoidable and result from driver distractions or impairment such as drink, handheld mobile phone use and driver fatigue.”

Police can record more than one cause for a crash. An crash is registered when at least one person suffers a slight injury in an incident with a vehicle.

The injury does not have to involve cars. It could be a bike colliding with a pedestrian, or someone falling over while cycling.