RAC comment on 2014 road casualty statistics - "A new national strategy on road safety cannot come soon enough"

RAC chief engineer David Bizley said: “These figures will make for disappointing reading by the Government, road safety professionals and the general public; it does appear that the days of annual reductions in road casualties now appear to be well and truly over.

“The rise in the numbers killed or seriously injured among the pedestrian, cyclist and older age groups is of significant concern. The 17% rise in over 60s killed on our roads, the largest increase of any age group, is a timely reminder of the challenges of dealing with an ageing population, that need to be tackled – not just in terms of older drivers, but also what measures can be taken to keep older pedestrians and cyclists safe on increasingly busy roads.

“National efforts to tackle road safety appear to be stalling, after decades of progress in reducing the numbers killed or injured on the roads. A new national strategy on road safety cannot come soon enough. These figures serve to highlight just how pressing the need is for road safety to be given the political focus it clearly so desperately needs.

“The national picture also masks significant local disparities – some London boroughs have witnessed shocking increases in road casualties, with Waltham Forest seeing a 50% increase in casualties year-on-year.”

Press office team

Press office team

For journalist enquiries only

Share

Latest News

Website preview
Second month of lower fuel prices as petrol and diesel fall by 2p a litre in April
RAC calls for further cuts at the pumps to reflect lower wholesale costs
media.rac.co.uk
Website preview
RAC rolls out mechanic apprenticeships nationwide in industry first
Students across England can now become patrols or RAC Mobile Mechanics through the ‘RAC Academy’
media.rac.co.uk
Website preview
Drivers planning a million more leisure trips by car this May Day bank holiday
The number of getaway journeys on major roads is up on last year despite Easter still fresh in people’s minds
media.rac.co.uk

Get updates in your mailbox

By clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy.

About RAC Media Centre

The RAC Media Centre provides journalists and news outlets with the latest motoring-related news, comment, data and research.

The RAC is an iconic UK brand, and provides complete peace of mind to nearly 14 million UK private and business drivers - whatever their motoring needs. As well as its premium nationwide breakdown assistance service – with an expert branded patrol workforce attending more than two million breakdowns every year – and European breakdown assistance products, it offers a wide range of market-leading products across insurance, legal services, vehicle inspections and service, maintenance and repair. Included in this is the first-of-its-kind nationwide Mobile Mechanics service which brings the garage to homes and workplaces. 

At the forefront of new solutions for business fleets and consumers, the RAC’s breakdown service is electric-ready with mobile EV charging technology and be called on using myRAC – its all-in-one route planner, fuel finder and breakdown reporting app