Despite a reduction of more than 40 percent in the number of
fatal road traffic accidents from 2007-2012, there has been no
reduction over the last five years.
The Transport Committee is concerned that progress increasing
levels of road safety has levelled off and is launching an
inquiry to scrutinise the Government’s approach to road safety,
last set out in its 2015 road safety statement. The inquiry will
investigate which changes would be most effective at reducing the
number and severity of road traffic accidents.
Launching the inquiry, Chair of the Committee, MP, said:
“In 2017, almost 1800 people died in road traffic accidents on
the UK’s roads. While there are far fewer fatalities than
there were in 2007, that figure is still too high, and hasn’t
fallen at all in the last five years.
“We want to know what should be done to bring down the number of
accidents. We are keen to hear from everyone who feels
our roads could be safer and has ideas on how to make it
happen.
“Are you a road safety campaigner or a road user group? A local
authority? Do you run a business which employs drivers? Or do you
see your children off to school with concerns about their
journey? We want to know what you think. Tell us how to make
our roads safer. This could be anything from the use of
technology to make cars and roads safer, to road safety around
schools. Your input will help us to decide which issues we
will investigate in more detail.”
The Committee is calling for evidence on the following
questions:
- How effective is the
Government’s current approach to road safety?
- Are there any areas
where the Government’s current approach to road safety could be
improved?
- What interventions
would be most effective at reducing the number and severity of
road traffic accidents?
-
- What evidence is there on the effectiveness of these
interventions?
- How can interventions
to reduce the number and severity of road traffic accidents best
be implemented?
Once the deadline for written submissions had passed, the
Committee will identify which areas it will investigate in more
detail.
