Rise in serious crashes on open roads during 2022 Isle of Man TT

Isle of Man police said traffic checks were stepped up during the TT

Crashes on open roads which led to serious injuries rose during this year's Isle of Man TT, but collisions overall fell below a five-year average.

The return of the event saw 34 collisions reported, with 19 classed as serious, a rise of five from 2019.

The five-year average for overall crashes since 2015 stands at 46, meaning there were 12 fewer in 2022.

Police said they had reached their goal of no fatalities on public roads, after deaths in previous years.

Sgt Andrew Reed said a road safety campaign, increased numbers of police traffic patrols, temporary speed limits in accident hotspots, along with improved public behaviour in recent years had helped make the roads safer for the event.

A total of 220 fixed penalty notices were handed out for motoring offences during the period, including 99 visitors and 60 locals fined for speeding.

That was "a very small percentage" given that 38,000 people who were booked to arrive by ferry during the fortnight, Sgt Reed said.

More than 150 arrests were made across the TT period, including 31 for being drunk and disorderly, 19 for common assault, and 11 for drink driving and possession of class B drugs.

Drugs worth a street value of £400,00 were also seized during the fortnight through an ongoing police operation to at the island's borders.

Sgt Reed said police "did not want to take our eye off the ball" as criminals may have seen the island as an "easy target" during the TT.