New DfT figures show that the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) on Great Britain’s roads saw a ‘statistically significant’ year-on-year rise of 3% for the 12 months ending June 2016.
The provisional figures, published today (3 Nov), show that the total number of KSIs rose to 24,620 – compared with 22,830 in the corresponding period ending in June 2015. The number of fatalities also rose, by 2% to 1,800, compared with 1,770 in the previous 12-months.
However, the DfT says the increase in deaths is not statistically significant, but ‘probably to do with a combination of factors that have come about by chance, rather than any specific change’.
Despite these rises, the total number of casualties of all types fell by 2% to 185,010. The DfT says this fall is statistically significant and suggests it reflects ‘genuine changes in road safety’, rather than natural variation.
In terms of road user type, pedal cyclist KSIs fell by 3% to 3,350 and motorcyclist KSIs by 1% to 5,420 in the same period.
However, in contrast KSIs among pedestrians (5,440) and car occupants (9,290) increased by 3% to and 9% respectively.
Looking specifically at figures for Q2 2016 (April-June), 450 people were killed in reported road accidents, which equates to a 7% increase from the same quarter in 2015. The DfT points out, however, that quarterly casualty figures are prone to fluctuation.
Take one look at the graph and you can quickly draw a conclusion that 2010 was a step change. Is this linked to lack of proper funding, lack of targets etc?
Simply not good enough.
Pete, Liverpool
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It’s easy to blame instructors and the system for such failures and I too believe that there are issues that do need intervention. Not only do we have to get the initial training right but we have to make sure that throughout a person’s driving life that they are sufficiently capable of still driving with safety on a road. Updating the Highway Code for instance is important but many drivers have not seen a Highway Code for years, some for a decade and some not for a generation or more. Everything that one wants or needs to know is in that small book and by refreshing one’s knowledge they may learn to use the roads with not only more safety but greater consideration to other road users. Just as it should be.
Bob Craven Lancs
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‘Statistically significant’…. Terrific phrase, especially when used in road safety issues. It is time – yet again – to examine the standard of driver training in the UK. Too many heads in the sand believing that it’s all ‘hunky-dory’in driver training, when it patently is NOT!
Russell Jones, currently in Florida
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