Progress in reducing road casualties continues to stall - RAC comment

Reacting to new road casualties and speed limit compliance data released by the Government today, RAC road safety spokesperson Pete Williams:

“This new data makes for sobering reading – there has now been no substantial reduction in fatalities since 2010 with the numbers killed on the roads remaining stubbornly high. It also remains the case that casualties among some vulnerable road user groups, specifically pedestrians and motorcyclists, are rising which is a concern.

“Speed limit compliance also remains a real problem, with more than half of vehicles recorded speeding on 30mph roads and nearly one-in-five drivers travelling at 30mph or more in a 20mph zones.

“With traffic levels rising, and people’s dependency on the car also increasing, a shift in focus is needed at both national and local levels to begin to tackle the problem.

“Technology has an important role to play – autonomous emergency braking, for example, has the potential to reduce casualties significantly but it will take many years to become commonplace. Nonetheless, we encourage drivers to do their bit by insisting that any new car they buy is fitted with the technology. And on a day-to-day basis, it is every driver’s responsibility to ensure they are driving safely by not breaking speed limits and reducing distractions in their vehicles so their attention remains firmly on the road.

“Today’s figures serve as a stark reminder of how much work there is still to do to improve safety of the UK’s roads.”