Traffic, its impacts and public attitudes - Transport Policy and Planning in Great Britain - page 47

140

120

100

80

60

1996
2006

40

20

0

KSI All severities

Figure 3.7 Change from 1986 in road casualty rates by user group

One of the main sources of improvement in casualty rates between the mid-1960s
and mid-1990s was the redistribution of traffic between the main road types that we
noted in the previous section. Motorways and A roads outside urban areas on which
an increasing proportion of all traffic has taken place currently have casualty rates
one-eighth and one-third respectively of roads in urban areas.
In the decade 1986-96 there was little improvement in overall casualty rates and
the rate of casualties amongst pedal cyclists actually worsened by 25% (Figure 3.7).
However the situation during the last decade has changed quite dramatically, reflecting
amongst other things reduced speed limits on many rural A roads and the widespread
introduction of speed cameras in both rural and urban areas at accident blackspots
(14.5). Not only have casualty rates improved by around 30% amongst all user groups
but KSI rates amongst pedestrians and cyclists have improved disproportionately. On
a passenger mile basis however there remain enormous differences between the user
groups. Pedestrians have KSI rates around 20 times worse, pedal cyclists 30 times and
motor cyclists 60 times worse than car occupants.
In the case of pedestrians and cyclists however, expressing casualty rates per
passenger mile may be considered an inappropriate basis of comparison. (Because of
their slower speed they are exposed to the risk of accidents for a longer period of time
per mile travelled.) On a time basis their rates would therefore be lower. On the other
hand changes are taking place in the nature of these trips which means that, whatever
unit of measurement is used, the trends in casualty rates are not strictly comparable.
With cycling in particular there is a risk that improvements in casualty rates are being
achieved by effectively consigning it to recreational use or other 'legitimised' situations.
As road accidents are reduced through better design and management of vehicles
and infrastructure, the casualty rates which persist are increasingly attributable to
human behaviour. Detailed analysis demonstrates that there are particular categories
of user which remain high risk (DfT 2007k). For example drink-drive deaths increased
from 460 to 580 in the five years to 2004. Excessive speed and failure to wear seat-belts
also remain significant contributory factors. Motorcyclists, young drivers and those
who drive for work are higher risk categories. As the Government's Review notes, these
issues overlap. This is a good example of the more general point that contemporary