Road deaths in UK fall by 7%

The Government has released the latest road casualty figures, and they show an overall reduction in the number of people killed or injured on our roads.

The main results show that:

• The number of people killed in road accidents fell by 7%. In 2006, 3172 people were killed, but in 2007 this had fallen to 2943. 27,777 people were seriously injured last year, 4% fewer than 2006. In total, there were 247,780 road casualties in 2007, a 4% reduction on 2006.

• Child casualties fell by 7%. The number of children killed or seriously injured in 2007 was 3090, a 7% reduction on 2006. 1899 of these were pedestrians. 121 children died on the roads, 28% fewer than in 2006.

• The number of deaths among car users in 2007 was 1431, 11% less than 2006. The number seriously injured also fell, by 9% to 11,536. Total car-user casualties were 6% lower than in 2006, at 161,433.

Mixed news for Government targets
The Government wants a 40% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents compared with the average for 1994-1998, and a 50% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured.

On one hand, these statistics are good news for the Government. The number of people killed or seriously injured is 36% below 1994-1998 average levels, and the number of children killed or seriously injured exceeds the target (55% below the 1994-1998 average).

On the other, though, things aren't going to plan. The Government is way short of hitting the European Transport Safety Council's (ETSC) target of halving road deaths in the European Union (EU) by 2010, and this most recent fall in road deaths isn't enough.

At the current rate of progress, Britain won't halve deaths on its roads from 2001 levels until 2020 - 10 years behind schedule.