24 June 2004 - National Statistics published by the Department of Transport for 2003
The published document by the Department of Transport contains National Statistics reported to the police, of casualties in accidents on our roads in 2003.
The
statistics bulletin, Road Casualties Great Britain 2003 is available from
the Department of Transport and contains statistical findings, with a more
comprehensive bulletin being published later in the year.
Research done in the 1990's, is contained within this bulletin and shows
that many accidents do not reach the attention of the police, due to the
lack reported incidents by the casualties, an area which the Department of
Transport are studying, in order to assess the changes over time.
The Vienna Convention, in 1968 adopted the International Definition that
deaths on the roads figures mean, persons killed immediately, or who, within
30 days of an accident died.
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
Some of
the results concluded that there was a rise in deaths rate of 2%. (3,431 in
2002 increased to 3,508 in 2003). A fall of 6% in the number of people
killed or seriously injured (37,215 having been in 2003).
The increase in road traffic levels increased by 1% in 2003, in comparison
to 2002, which means that the overall casualty rate per 100 million vehicle
kilometres was 5% lower than 2002. Road accidents involving personal injury
in 2003, were 3% less than 2002.
Deaths amongst car users was up by 1% in 2003, whilst the number of
seriously injured fell by 9% to 15,522. The total casualties therefore was
5% lower than 2002.
Also falling in 2003, was the number of pedal cyclists killed, which was
12%, whilst casualties amongst cyclists only fell to 17,033.
Other areas within the statistics showed pedestrian casualties in 2003 to
have fallen by 6%, but the 774 pedestrian deaths in 2003 remains about the
same as 2002, whilst serious injuries fell by 9%.
Child casualties also fell in 2003 by 8%, with child fatalities down 4%.
More information can be obtained from the Department for Transport web site here.
