Safe Speed Forums

WNS Assistance: 43.5% of road accidents take place at 10mph or less
Data issued this week by the insurance claims management company WNS Assistance showed that only 4.5% of road traffic accidents happen at more than 30mph, and only one in a thousand crashes involve vehicles travelling at over 70mph and one in 200 at over 60mph. In contrast, 43.5% of accidents occur when the vehicle concerned is travelling at 10mph or less.

When added to the number of insurance claims following damage to stationary vehicles, the overall number of accidents involving vehicles travelling at a crawl or at a standstill was "a staggering 80% of the total" – perhaps because of the build-up of traffic on Britain’s roads in recent years. Comparable data compiled in 2001 showed that two-thirds of motor accidents happened at slow speeds, or when vehicles were stationary, compared to over three quarters now.

It has been estimated that 20% of company car drivers spend more than 11 days a year sitting stationary in congested traffic.

(www.autobodyprojects.co.uk, 19 April)

Similar figures compiled in 2001, showed that two-thirds of motor accidents happened at slow speeds, or when vehicles were stationary, compared to over three quarters now.