..presenting road safety across the UK


ROAD SAFETY NEWS - WEEK COMMENCING 6 OCTOBER

DfT publishes analysis of road casualties in 2002
The DfT published ‘Road Casualties Great Britain 2002 Annual Report’ last week, which contains final figures giving detailed information on the number of people killed and injured in road accidents in Great Britain in 2002.

Key points in the report are:

  • 3,431 people were killed on Britain’s roads in 2002, one per cent less than in 2001. The number of people seriously injured fell to 35,976, three per cent lower than in 2001. Total casualties in 2002 were 302,605, three per cent fewer than in 2001;
  • 40 fewer children were killed on the roads in 2002 than in 2001, a fall of 18 per cent. The total number of children killed or seriously injured fell by nearly eight per cent;
  • Provisional estimates indicate that the number of deaths in accidents involving drink driving was six per cent higher. Final estimates will be available next year. Total casualties in drink drive accidents rose by an estimated seven per cent;
  • Pedestrian casualties fell by four per cent between 2001 and 2002 and the number of killed or seriously injured pedestrians was down five per cent. 13 per cent of all road accident casualties and 22 per cent of those who died in road accidents were pedestrians;
  • The number of casualties among users of two wheeled motor vehicles fell by two per cent compared with 2001 but the number of deaths rose by four per cent to 609. Serious injuries rose by three per cent. However, the overall casualty rate per hundred million vehicle kilometres fell because of increases in traffic;
  • Pedal cyclist casualties fell by 11 per cent. The number of cyclists killed or seriously injured fell by almost nine per cent overall, and the number of fatalities fell by six per cent. Pedal cyclist casualty rates per hundred million vehicle kilometres also fell and are now at the lowest for more than 10 years.

The report provides detailed information about accident circumstances, vehicle involvement and the consequent casualties in 2002, along with some of the key trends in accidents and casualties.

More @ www.dft.gov.uk
Rise in drink-drive deaths needs action, says RoSPA
RoSPA last week renewed its call for the drink-drive limit to be lowered, as new figures published by the DfT showed an increase in drink-drive deaths last year.

The estimated number of people killed in drink-related accidents went up from 530 in 2001 to 560 in 2002. Figures for people injured in drink-drive accidents are also on the rise.

Kevin Clinton, RoSPA head of road safety, said the Government must act to stop more needless deaths - lowering the drink-drive limit from 80mg to 50mg could save 50 lives and prevent hundreds of injuries on UK roads each year. As well as a reduction in the limit, RoSPA believes police should to be given powers to breath test drivers anywhere and at any time.

"The Government’s own figures showed that a reduction in the limit could save 50 lives and prevent 250 serious injuries and 1,200 slight injuries each year,"

Kevin Clinton said. "At levels between 50mg and 80mg drivers are 2 – 4 times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than drivers with no alcohol. We are now one of only four countries out of 15 in the EU with a level above 50mg," he added.

More @ http://www.rospa.co.uk
Children ‘scared’ of roads and speed
A survey of children aged 7-14 in inner city schools published to mark Road Safety Week found that four out of 10 were scared of roads while they were on foot (Surveyor, 25 September). Half of the 1,500 children surveyed wanted safer places to cross the road while 70 per cent thought drivers should go slower near their school.

Three-quarters supported the introduction of more speed cameras and the majority were uneasy about how fast their own parents drive - two out of three said they had told an adult to slow down.

Road safety charity Brake, which commissioned the study, said this level of fear among children was unacceptable. A previous Brake survey has revealed that 11-14 year-old inner city children take extensive risks when crossing roads, with 49 per cent texting on their mobile phones.
‘Grass Routes’ final to be held later this month
The final of the RAC’s ‘Grass Routes: Investigating Safer Journeys’ challenge will take place in central London on 23 October.

Now in its fourth year, the Grass Routes Challenge aims to raise awareness of the issues surrounding the school run, and to promote road safety skills among the vulnerable 11-14 year old age group.

It is estimated that over 50 per cent of UK secondary schools already use the Grass Routes resource pack, which encourages pupils to think about the safety and hazards along their chosen route to school. However, this is the first year that pupils have been brought together to present their ideas at a national event, with the aim of bringing a higher profile to school travel and road safety.

The event is sponsored by David Kidney MP and Janet Dean MP, and the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has promised to attend.

The final is being held at the Attlee Suite, Portcullis House, Victoria Embankment, London SW1A 2LW, 10am – 2pm Thursday 23 October.
Councils defend their efforts on ‘dangerous roads’
Local authorities identified in the latest EuroRAP survey as having some of Britain’s most dangerous roads have defended their safety efforts and pointed out that the findings do not recognise improvements made over the past two years (Surveyor, 25 September).

The survey by the European Road Assessment Programme, led by the AA, highlighted the 13 ‘most improved’ major roads in Britain between 1999 and 2001. But it listed a further 21 as posing persistently high risk to users. Top of the list is the A537 Macclesfield-Buxton road followed by the A534 from the Welsh border to Nantwich.

The AA said that low cost measures such as signing, road markings and safety barriers could cut the UK roads death toll. It called for ‘a national effort led by Government and local authorities to apply such measures to all roads identified as posing a higher than average risk’.

But counties with roads on the risk list point out that EuroRAP ranked roads according to accidents per billion vehicle kilometres, taking account of traffic flows, not accidents per kilometre used by local authorities to prioritise road safety schemes.
Minister applauds Somerset limits
Transport minister David Jamieson has defended Somerset’s controversial speed limit policy despite the county’s decision to re-open consultation after police objections and complaints from motorists and residents (Surveyor, 25 September).

Mr Jamieson’s intervention came in a Commons debate as Bridgewater’s Conservative MP savaged the policy, accusing the Liberal Democrat council of creating ‘a complete speed muddle’ by introducing new speed limits across the county, including 24-hours 20mph zones outside schools.

But Mr Jamieson said he applauded Somerset and other authorities for taking the issue of speeding seriously. "I am not surprised that local authorities are being pulled two ways in implementing the policy and I cannot help but wonder whether the same people who urged the introduction of slow speeds in their villages are now finding it inconvenient to slow down in other villages," he said.

He added that Somerset’s programme to introduce consistent speed limits across the county had been spelled out three years ago in its local transport plan after calls from 250 parish councils for slower speeds.
BUSK makes publishing debut
BUSK (Belt up school kids) published its first book, 'Safe Exit?' during School Transport Week (15-21 September).

The book is designed for road safety officers, schools, transport companies and anyone else interested in the safety of children using coaches, buses and minibuses, and explains how to train children in road safety procedures.

The book costs £1.50 plus VAT and 33p P & P. To order copies contact Pat Harris, 01633 274944 or by email Busk.Beltupschoolkids@btinternet.com
Lib Dems push for safety bill
The Liberal Democrats have urged the Government to introduce a Road Safety Bill in the next session of Parliament, to allow local authorities to set default 20mph city and 30mph village limits (Surveyor, 25 September). Delegates at the party’s Brighton conference called for legislation to tackle the rising number of fatal casualties on rural roads and the poor record on child pedestrian deaths.

Lib Dem transport spokesman Don Foster said the legislation should also be used to set up a road accident investigation branch similar to those for railways, marine and air accidents.
Area-wide road safety approach urged
Councils are encouraged to take an area-wide approach to road safety using disciplines ranging from law enforcement to health and education in new guidance from the DfT.

Developed by TRL and the Institution of Highways & Transportation (IHT), the guidance draws on lessons from the Safer Cities project in Gloucester. This produced a 38 per cent reduction in deaths and serious injuries between 1996 and 2000.

Urban Safety Management: Road safety Strategies for Urban Communities is available free from DfT, PO Box 236, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7NB.
EC encourages road safety through new technology
The European Commission (EC) has presented a set of measures to develop safer and ‘more intelligent’ vehicles in a bid to halve the number of road deaths by 2010.

The EU's ‘eSafety’ initiative was launched in April 2002 and one of its first actions was to set up a high-level working group to produce recommendations for further action. To monitor the implementation of these recommendations a more permanent eSafety Forum was established during the first months of 2003.

The EC proposes several measures to promote the development of safer vehicle systems using new information and communication technologies. It also presents possible actions to remove barriers that prevent the successful introduction and take-up of these systems in Europe.

More @ http://www.euractiv.com