“Act now to make UK roads safer” – this is the message from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
Responding to the latest Reported Road Casualties Great Britain figures from the Department for Transport (DfT), the charity highlighted concerns that the 1 per cent decline in road deaths to 1,602 in 2024, despite a four per cent drop in total casualties, represents a worrying lack of progress in reducing deaths and injuries on Britain’s roads.
While car occupant fatalities fell by five per cent, deaths among motorcyclists rose by eight per cent (340), and pedestrian fatalities increased by one per cent (409), reversing recent progress. Vulnerable road users now account for over half of all fatalities, highlighting the need for a new approach to road safety.
RoSPA is urging government and local authorities to prioritise the implementation of proven safety measures in the forthcoming National Road Safety Strategy. Key actions include lower speed limits in high-risk areas, targeted enforcement, investment in safer infrastructure to protect vulnerable road users, and renewed public education campaigns.
RoSPA also calls for the upcoming National Road Safety Strategy to incorporate and align with recommendations from the charity’s own National Accident Prevention Strategy (NAPS), including:
- Adopt a Safe System approach
- Expand 20mph zones in residential and school areas
- Increase investment in active travel infrastructure
- Enhance data sharing and analysis to target interventions.
NAPS promotes a more integrated approach to accident prevention across all settings – road, home, leisure, and work. Accidents in these areas currently claim over 20,000 lives every year. Beyond the tragic human impact, accidents also have a significant economic cost, with the NHS spending around £6 billion annually, alongside a further £6 billion in lost productivity and working days.
Rebecca Guy, Senior Policy Manager at RoSPA, said:
“These figures are a stark reminder that progress on road safety has stalled, and lives are being lost unnecessarily. It is essential that the upcoming national road safety strategy contains the measures and resources needed to prevent road traffic collisions.
RoSPA’s recent Safer Lives, Stronger Nation report highlights the need for a joined-up, evidence-led approach, including graduated driver licensing for young drivers, lower drink-driving limits, better enforcement, and safer road design. Road death is preventable, and with evidence-based solutions, we can reverse this decade of stagnation.”
(Pic: Yay Images)
