WIREDGOV

Road Casualties Great Britain 2006: Main results - Revised Copy

DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT News Release (074 (TR-015)) issued by The Government News Network on 28 June 2007

Revised Copy

The Department for Transport has today published National Statistics on road casualties in Great Britain in 2006, which relate to casualties in accidents reported to the police. Key results include:

* The number of people killed in road accidents fell, by 1 per cent from 3,201 in 2005 to 3,172 in 2006. 31,845 people were killed or seriously injured in 2006, 1 per cent fewer than in 2005. There were 258,404 road casualties in Great Britain in 2006, 5 per cent less than in 2005.

* Child casualties fell by 9 per cent. The number of children killed or seriously injured in 2006 was 3,294 (down 5 per cent on 2005). Of those, 2,025 were pedestrians, 5 per cent down on 2005. 169 children died on the roads, 20 per cent more than in 2005, this was about the same level as 2004 (166) which at that time was the lowest ever recorded figure.

* Provisional figures indicate that road traffic levels rose by 1 per cent compared to 2005 and the provisional estimate is that the overall casualty rate per 100 million vehicle kilometres (45 per 100 million vehicle kms) was 6 per cent lower than in 2005 (48 casualties per 100 million vehicle kms).

* There were 675 pedestrian deaths, 1 per cent more than in 2005. Killed or serious injured casualties fell by 1 per cent to 7,051. The all pedestrian casualty figure fell to 30,982 in 2006, 7 per cent lower than 2005.

* The number of pedal cyclists killed fell by 1 per cent from 148 in 2005 to 146 in 2006. The number of seriously injured rose by 4 per cent to 2,296. However, total casualties among pedal cyclists fell by 2 per cent in 2006 to 16,196.

* There were 599 motorcycle user fatalities in 2006, 5 per cent higher than during 2005. The number of killed or seriously injured remained at about the same level compared to 2005 (down less than 1 percent from 6,508 in 2005 to 6,484 in 2006). The all motorcycle user casualties figure for 2006 of 23,326 is 6 per cent less than in 2005.

* The number of deaths among car users in 2006 was 1,612, 4 per cent less than in the previous year. The number seriously injured fell by 2 per cent to 12,642. Total casualties among car users were 171,000, 4 per cent lower than 2005. Provisional traffic estimates indicate a 1 per cent rise in car and taxi traffic over the period.

* There were 189,161 road accidents involving personal injury in 2006, 5 per cent fewer than in 2005. Of these, 27,872 accidents involved death or serious injury, less than 1 percent fewer than in 2005 (27,942).

In 2000, the Government announced a new road safety strategy and set new targets for reducing casualties by 2010. It wants to see:

* 40% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents compared with the average for 1994-98;

* 50% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured;

* 10% reduction in the slight casualty rate, expressed as the number of people slightly injured per 100 million vehicle kilometres.

In 2006, the number of people killed or seriously injured was 33 per cent below the 1994-98

average; the number of children killed or seriously injured was 52 per cent below the 1994-98

average; and provisional estimates show the slight casualty rate was 26 per cent below the 1994-98 average.

Notes for Editors

These figures, and further details, are available in statistics bulletin Road Casualties Great Britain: 2006 - Main Results, obtainable from The Department for Transport, TSR5, Zone 2/18, Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR or on the website http://www.dft.gov.uk/162259/162469/221412/221549/231414/rcgbq42006.pdf. A more comprehensive analysis of casualty statistics will be published later this year in Road Casualties Great Britain: 2006.

1. The statistics relate to personal injury accidents on public roads that are reported to the police. Figures for deaths refer to persons killed immediately or who died within 30 days of the accident. This is the usual international definition, adopted by the Vienna Convention in 1968. Similar statistics of deaths on public roads, but compiled by date of registration, are published by the Registrars General.

2. Very few, if any, fatal accidents do not become known to the police. However, research conducted on behalf of the Department in the 1990s has shown that a significant proportion of non-fatal injury accidents are not reported to the police. In addition some casualties reported to the police are not recorded and the severity of injury tends to be underestimated. The Department is undertaking further research to investigate whether the levels of reporting have changed. Further information on reporting levels and links to recent research can be found at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/accidents/roadaccidentstatisticsingrea1835

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