By Margaret Winchcomb, Member of Women in Transport
Deputy Executive Director, PACTS
500,000 Road Deaths:
60 organisations call for four life-saving priorities from the Government
On 30th May 2024, the UK passed a grim and shaming milestone: 500,000 people have died on the roads in Great Britain since records began in 1926*.
During the same period, in context, there have been about 375,000 UK citizen deaths due to warfare since 1926 – a period that includes the Second World War, among many other conflicts.
The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) has coordinated a groundbreaking manifesto calling for immediate and strategic action to address the persistent issue of road fatalities and serious injuries in the UK. With support, now from more than 60 leading organisations and growing by the day, the manifesto outlines four strategic priorities aimed at revolutionising road safety and significantly reducing fatalities and serious injuries on UK roads.
These are:
1. Developing a National Road Safety Strategy - Implement a Safe System Strategy focused on prevention, protection, and post-collision response, coupled with evidence-based targets and robust safety performance indicators.
2. Establishing a Road Safety Investigation Branch - An independent body modelled after existing transportation safety branches to analyse road incidents and provide actionable insights for preventing future tragedies.
3. Introducing Graduated Driver Licensing - A progressive licensing system to support young drivers by limiting high-risk driving situations, a measure proven to reduce fatalities by up to 40%.
4. Adopting Advanced Vehicle Safety Regulations - Immediate implementation of the world-leading vehicle safety standards, mandating critical technologies such as Automatic Emergency Braking and Intelligent Speed Assistance.
The UK has seen a stagnation in road safety improvements since 2010, from being a global leader in road safety, it is now lagging behind other nations. Every day, five people die on UK roads, with more than 30,000 individuals killed or seriously injured annually, amounting to a staggering societal and economic cost of approximately £43.5 billion each year.
Jamie Hassall, Executive Director of PACTS, said: “These four simple measures will be the building blocks to enable the UK to reduce the number of people who are killed and seriously injured on our roads. When we have strong leadership and a strategic approach the UK has managed to half the numbers of road deaths in a decade but since 2010 the focus was lost and daily road deaths have remained at five. Investing in road safety is not just a moral duty but it’s good for people’s health and wellbeing, the environment, business, and the country.
“Having hit this grim milestone of half a million road deaths in Great Britain today, we’re calling for action on these simple, quick wins. They are unanimously agreed across the UK’s leading road safety authorities to be top priorities with the potential to save hundreds of lives and prevent thousands of life-altering injuries over the next few years and put the UK on track to be a world leader again.”
As of Sunday 7th July 2024, ALL new vehicles sold in the EU have to meet new General and Pedestrian Safety Regulations (GSR). These encompass a range of technologies aimed at not only increasing compliance with road rules but also protecting all road users and helping to address gender imbalances in vehicle design. PACTS urges the incoming government to prioritise the introduction of GSR and the three other strategies within the first 100 days of office to ensure the UK meets international road safety targets and sets a global standard in protecting its citizens.
About PACTS
Established over 40 years ago, the UK Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) promotes evidence-based solutions to achieve safe transport for all. PACTS provides independent advice to government, parliamentarians, and PACTS members on road, rail, and air safety issues. PACTS brings together safety professionals and legislators to identify research-based solutions to transport safety problems with regard to cost, effectiveness, achievability, and sustainability. See https://www.pacts.org.uk/
Press Contact
For more information, please contact Jamie Hassall, PACTS Executive Director, at (+44) 77888 17072, jamie.hassall@pacts.org.uk.
* This figure does not include deaths in the previous thirty years or those in Northern Ireland.
The first person killed by an automobile was Bridget Driscoll (UK), who received fatal injuries when she walked into the path of a car moving at 4 mph (6.4 km/h), as it was giving demonstration rides in the grounds of Crystal Palace, London, UK on 17 August 1896. [Guinness Book of Records]
Signatories to the Manifesto are:
Transport Research Institute
British Horse Society
National Young Riders Forum
Kerbed It
PsyDrive
Institute of Highway Engineers
Cornwall Council
Webfleet
Aftermath Support
Road Safety Support
Transafe Network
NPCC
Drive Alive
National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA)
National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA)
Drive Commander
Livia Awards
RAC
The Floow
See Sense
20s Plenty for Us
Project EDWARD
PACTS
Agilysis
Towards Zero Foundation
Sustrans
ITS UK
Road Safety Foundation
CHIT
Transport Research Laboratory
MCIA
Reed Mobility
RAC Foundation
RoSPA
Brake
Road Safe
National Motorcyclists Council
Road Safety GB
UKROEd
British Motorcyclists Federation
Safer Roads Foundation
Jacobs
IAM Roadsmart
Co-pilot
Road Peace
AA
Road safety Analysis
The Bikeability Trust
Living Streets
Road Safety Trust
Thatcham research
Cycling UK
Safer Essex roads partnership
Hadstrong PR
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