Road safety analysts will gather in Birmingham next March to examine progress since the publication of the government’s Road Safety Strategy and explore how data can be used to measure improvements towards its targets.
Joining the Dots, the RSGB National Analysts Conference, returns to the IET on Tuesday 2 March 2027 for its 12th year, bringing together professionals from across the road safety sector to share research, evidence and practical approaches to analysis.
The conference will focus on changes in road safety data, the development of new Safety Performance Indicators and how analysts can assess whether interventions are delivering meaningful improvements.
Kate Carpenter, president of the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT), will open the event. Carpenter is director of operational road safety at Jacobs and has 27 years’ experience specialising in highway safety governance.
The programme draws largely on papers submitted by professionals working across national government, highway authorities, local authorities, universities, emergency services and consultancies. Sessions will include presentations, parallel streams, panel discussions and a practical workshop.
Understanding the whole collision picture
A key theme for 2027 will be improving understanding of collisions by bringing together information from different sources.
STATS19 remains the foundation of road safety analysis, with the conference’s closing session examining new evidence on how collision severity is recorded and efforts to establish international injury reporting standards.
Speakers will also explore the growing use of linked police, ambulance, hospital and vehicle data to provide a more comprehensive picture of collisions, including how they happen and their consequences for those involved.
Connected vehicle data will feature throughout the programme, including its potential to improve national road safety intelligence and support more targeted speed enforcement.
Examining who carries the risk
The conference will also consider how national casualty targets can mask differences between communities and road user groups.
Sessions will examine pedestrian risk in communities where deprivation measures do not necessarily reflect the level of danger, alongside the slower reductions in casualties among vulnerable road users compared with vehicle occupants.
The programme will also explore how access to post-collision assistance can vary depending on where a collision occurs.
Evaluating what works
A further focus will be evaluating road safety interventions and identifying evidence that can inform future decisions.
Highway authorities will share findings from junctions, motorways and local roads, alongside real-world evaluations of vehicle safety standards and in-vehicle technology.
A practical post-crash response workshop will give delegates the opportunity to work in small groups through case studies, following a collision from its initial recording through to the care provided afterwards.
The conference is designed to help analysts benchmark their work against the new Safety Performance Indicators, explore methods they can apply to their own data and exchange experiences with colleagues facing similar challenges elsewhere in the country.
Dan Campsall, chairman of Agilysis, said: “The Road Safety Strategy has given the profession national targets to work towards, and analysts are the people who will show whether we’re getting there.
“Joining the Dots exists so they can learn from each other: what’s working, which data holds up, and where the gaps still are. This year’s programme reflects that, and the workshop gives delegates the chance to get hands-on with the evidence.”
Booking now open
Standard tickets cost £180, with an earlybird rate of £99 available until 30 November 2026 for RSGB members and users of MAST, the Speed Compliance Tool and CrashMap Pro.
Tickets are available at roadsafety.network/conference.
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