A report by the National Audit Office has revealed that vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists are at an increasing risk of death and serious injury.
The number of cyclists killed and seriously injured on Britain’s roads rose by 11% between 2004 and 2007. Over the same period there was no significant increase in cycling.
One in three of the all pedestrians killed on the roads in 2007 was over the age of 70.
The government’s road safety campaign to reduce road deaths, called THINK!, was criticised in the report; it found that the high-profile advertising campaign appeared to have little measurable effect on road casualties.
The National Audit Office found that that 20 mph zones enforced by speed bumps reduced collisions involving pedestrians by 63 per cent.
Drop in numbers killed hides true picture
Despite the high cost of fuel and a reported decline in traffic, figures from the Department for Transport show that a greater number than ever of British households have a car. Over the same period, the proportion of children travelling to school independently fell from 19 per cent in 2003 to 15 per cent in 2007. Only 13 per cent of children are now allowed to cross the road on their own.
A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “The fact that fewer and fewer children are allowed to cross the road or travel to school unaccompanied is a disturbing trend – everything else being equal children who get some exercise on their way to school are healthier and perform better academically than those driven to school.”
The fact that many children are now driven to school may go some way to explaining the improvements in British road casualty figures. The latest figures available, which relate to 2007, show that road deaths on British roads have fallen below 3,000 for the first time since records began in 1926. Every category of vehicle, except goods vehicles, has seen a decrease in numbers killed.
“There may be fewer casualties on British roads but the fact more people are in cars makes them less safe – high levels of traffic make streets feel dangerous puts people off cycling and walking” added the spokesperson.
What is the ETA?
The ETA provides motorists and cyclists with green breakdown cover and green insurance products and campaigns for sustainable transport – when you use our services you help fund our charitable work.
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