What can we do to reduce road traffic fatalities?
22 November 2023
In 2022, there were an astounding 1,711 fatalities in reported road collisions in Great Britain.
There were 29,742 seriously injured casualties and 135,480 casualties of all severities.
These numbers need to change.
The UK has historically had some of the safest roads in the world and yet we still see around five deaths and many more serious injuries on our roads every day.
These tragic and more often than not, unavoidable events have a devastating impact on the individuals involved, and their families. Five deaths on our roads everyday is not good enough, and we all need to share the responsibility of keeping each other safe on the roads.
What can we do?
When many people think of a road collision and the deaths they cause, they think that the death was caused by somebody driving too fast, or being under the influence. In reality, a lot of deaths on the road are caused by our failure to make sure we are wearing a seatbelt.
In 2021, it was revealed by the independent Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) that 30% of people who died in cars in 2021 were not wearing a seatbelt. This amounts to over 200 deaths and many more serious injuries.
Males are more likely to not wear seatbelts than females. The Department for Transport found that 28% of male fatalities were as a result of not wearing a seatbelt, in comparison to 16% of females! Their data also concluded that drivers between the age of 17 and 19 were the most likely to not wear a seatbelt during a fatal crash.
The aim of Road Safety Week is to urge everyone to protect themselves, and others when using the road. Wearing a seat belt halves the chances of dying in a collision. Many don’t think twice before putting their seatbelt on and driving a vehicle, which is great, but it is important to encourage others in the vehicle to do so as well – particularly children.
Not only should we all encourage each other to wear a seatbelt because it can protect us, but also because it is a legal requirement. It first became a legal requirement for drivers and front-seat passengers to wear a seatbelt on 31 January 1983. In 1989 it then became compulsory for children aged 14 and under to wear a seatbelt in the rear of a car.
You must wear one unless you come under on the few exceptions. If you fail to wear a seatbelt, you can be fined up to £500; a fine that can also be imposed if a child under 14 is not in the correct car seat. 24% of 1,800 drivers polled by the RAC said that this penalty is not enough of a deterrent, with 69% of drivers asked saying that three penalty points should be imposed on drivers who fail to wear one.
Children in the vehicle you are driver in must be in the correct car seat for their height or weight until they reach 135 centimetres tall, or their 12th birthday, whichever comes first. For information on what car seat is required for your child, please visit www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules.
So, when you next get in your car to go somewhere just take a moment to think “am I wearing my seatbelt, and is everyone else?”
National Statistics – Reported road casualties Great Britain, annual report: 2022 available on gov.uk.
The contents of this article are intended for general information purposes only and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute legal advice. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of this article.