The latest Department for Transport figures reveal that in 2019 there were over 153,000 casualties of all severities in reported road traffic accidents. Whilst this is 5% lower than the previous year and is the lowest level since 1979, the number of fatalities are at a similar level to those reported in 2012. In 2012 sadly 1,754 people died on our roads compared to 1,752 people last year.
There is no obligation for people to report all personal injury accidents to the police (although there is a legal duty in certain conditions as per the Road Traffic Act) and therefore the number of casualties as well as the number of accidents could unfortunately be far greater. This is one of the reasons that the Reported Road Causalities in Great Britain: 2019 annual report states that the figures quoted should be interpreted with caution.
As can be seen from the chart above, the long term trend in the number of casualties in reported road accidents has been declining since 1998. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) are however still concerned by the continued lack of progress made towards reducing the number of road accidents and deaths since 2010.
The latest figures also show that last year 638 over-60’s were killed on our roads which is an increase of 9% compared to 588 over 60’s in 2018. Unfortunately, the number of over-60’s killed in reported road traffic accidents has been rising since 2010.
Michelle Arrington, Road Safety Manager at RoSPA, said: “RoSPA is also alarmed by the increase in serious and fatal road casualties among the over-60s. We know that 196 of the over-60s killed in Britain’s road last year were behind the wheel at the time of the collision. If you are starting to notice any changes in your driving or are concerned about someone else then we would encourage you to seek support.”
If you have unfortunately been involved in a road traffic accident which was not your fault and you have suffered injury, loss or damage then contact us on 0161 696 6235 and find out if you could be entitled to make a claim. Our highly skilled personal injury solicitors can secure the compensation you deserve following an accident on the road, whether you were the driver or passenger in a car, a cyclist or pedestrian. The compensation we provide is designed to get you back on your feet in the aftermath of an accident and replace anything you might have lost.
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