Almost one person a week falls victim to a hit-and-run-driver, according to newly released statistics.

The number of people injured in collisions where a driver fails to stop rose to 51 in Sutton in 2012 - the highest its been since 2008.

Now there are calls for police to do more to crack-down on uninsured and unlicensed drivers who are to blame for many of the incidents.

The figures, which are the most recent available, show 52 people were injured in hit-and-run in Sutton in 2012 - four of them seriously.

Numbers of people hurt in hit and runs in Sutton have risen since 2009 when there were 39. In 2010 there were 36 and in 2011 there were 41.

The figures have prompted Jenny Jones, Green Party member of the Greater London Assembly, to call on police to concentrate on uninsured and unlicensed drivers as studies show they are more likely to be involved in hit-and-run collisions.

She said: "The Met has made a lot of progress in tackling the problem of hit-and-run drivers in recent years by removing thousands of uninsured and unlicensed drivers from our streets.

"But the number of hit-and-runs remains at a high level which is incredibly concerning. We need the police to crack down on these illegal drivers urgently by redoubling their efforts and taking 100,000 uninsured drivers off our roads every year.

"We urgently need to make our streets safer and to send a clear message that illegal drivers will not be tolerated."

Although figures for last year are yet to be released, they will include the death of PC Andrew Duncan, who was killed by hit-and-run driver Gary Cody.

Uninsured driver Cody hit the father-of-two at over 50mph as he sped along Reigate Avenue in September last year. PC Duncan died days after the collision.

Cody pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for eight-and-a-half years in February.


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