Safe Speed Forums

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/mps-warn-over- ... 38348.html

..A group of MPs are telling the Government more could be done to tackle road safety after figures showed the first increase in road deaths for eight years.

The number of people killed on Britain's roads rose by nearly 3% last year - the first increase in almost a decade, according to Government figures.

The House of Commons Transport Committee report, published today, calls for more to be done to keep Britain's roads safer.

Launching the report, the Committee's chairman, Louise Ellman MP, said: "We are very concerned that 2011 saw the first increase in road fatalities since 2003, with 1,901 people killed on the roads.

"It is shocking that road accidents are the main cause of death among young adults aged 16-24 and that so many cyclists continue to be killed or injured.

"In 2010 there were 283 fatalities amongst car occupants aged 16-25, while 27% of young men aged 17-19 are involved in a road collision within the first year of passing their test."

She went on: "If the Government is not willing to set targets, it should show more leadership.

"Action is required to improve road safety for young drivers, including an independent review of driver training."

Adrian Davison, 18, died when a car being driven by his best friend left the road in Bramhope near Leeds.

His father, Tony, wants to see road safety added to the school curriculum, and describes these latest figures as disappointing.

"The figures have been falling year on year, so it's disappointing to see a dip like this," he told Sky News.

"Let's hope it is just a dip," he added, "because every one of those numbers represents a tragedy for other families."

The Department for Transport are choosing not to be interviewed about the report.

But Road Safety Minister Mike Penning has issued a statement saying: "Naturally I am disappointed that there has been even a small increase in the number of people killed or seriously injured in 2011, however deaths and serious injuries last year were still 7% below 2009 and the number killed was also the second lowest since the 1930s."

He went on: "We continue to take urgent action to crack down on the most dangerous drivers and improve training to make our roads safer."

AA president Edmund King said: "The report highlights the need for leadership yet quotes the Association of Chief Police Officers as saying that road safety is not part of their strategic policing requirements and hence chief constables will not necessarily look at roads policing because there are no national targets.

"We believe that more emphasis in road safety needs to be put on enforcement and that a reduction in cops in cars will do nothing to deter the drunk, drugged, distracted, dangerous drivers."

..

_________________
lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

This must be some sort of record; an article about road safety which doesn't mention speeding.

A 3% rise for one year is not statistically meaningful so far too much hot air is being expended in the press. One part of this report not featured here is the increase in pedestrian deaths. Has anyone thought to mention the isolation caused by iPods etc.

We have said many times on here that safety is the responsibility of everyone and not just drivers.

_________________
Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.

I particularly liked the bit by the AA bloke about cops in cars. But the problem these days is that if the numbers on the car look ok to the police computer, and speed is under the magic number, then little seems to get done. Policing by numbers ,I call it .

_________________
lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on