The number of road casualties in the UK has fallen by over 20% according to new data from the Department for Transport.
The provisional results covering April to June and November in 2020 shows 115,333 casualties of all severities, a decrease of 25% from the year previously, and a 22% drop in fatalities and serious injuries, down to just under 23,500.
Of course, last year was marked by lengthy Covid-19 lockdowns which massively impacted the results of this study. In fact, the reduction in fatalities and serious injuries tracks almost exactly with the fall in traffic volume.
Shop now: Line marking paint
Head of public affairs at Brake, the road safety charity, commented on the figures that: “This decrease in deaths and serious injuries is a welcome step in the right direction and demonstrates that it is possible to reduce casualties. While the overall numbers are falling, likely due to changes in the way people travelled during Covid-19 restrictions, it is concerning that the rate of road deaths in terms of vehicle miles travelled has shown an increase.
"Every death on our roads is a tragedy for the victims’ loved ones, while injuries can have devastating consequences on an individual’s life. It’s completely unacceptable that each day, people’s lives are cut short or changed forever as a result of preventable road crashes.”
He concluded; "We need a concerted focus on reducing road deaths and catastrophic injuries. This requires ambitious targets to end the carnage on our roads and a focus on Safe Systems, including segregated spaces for cyclists and pedestrians, appropriate speed limits on all roads, and investment in vehicle safety and infrastructure.”