UK road casualty figures decline

Date: 3/10/2011

The total number of road casualties reported to UK police forces during 2010 was six per cent lower than in 2009.

Figures published by the Department for Transport reveal that there were 1,850 fatalities - a 17 per cent reduction on 2009 - and 22,660 serious injuries recorded during the year.

During the same time, motor vehicle traffic numbers fell by two per cent, which may account for some of this decline.

Almost every road user group witnessed a drop in fatalities over the 12 months, including car occupants (21 per cent), pedestrians (19 per cent) and motorcycle riders (15 per cent).

However, there was an increase in the number of pedal bike users killed, with a seven per cent rise recorded between 2009 and 2010.

In 40 per cent of all accidents reported to police officers in 2010, 'failure to look properly' was the contributing factor most commonly cited.

According to the Department, five per cent of all road casualties during the year arose from incidents involving someone behind the wheel who was over the legal alcohol limit.

Posted by Sarah Bailey