This annual report 2006 provides detailed analyses of road casualties and reports on trends in relation to casualty reduction targets. It presents statistics collected to an agreed national standard about personal injury road accidents and their consequent casualties. These statistics are used to inform public debate on matters of road safety and to provide both a local and national perspective for road safety problems and their remedies. In addition to the detailed statistical tables, the publication also includes six articles: review of progress towards the 2010 casually reduction targets; a valuation of accident, casualty costs and insurance claims data; drinking and driving; contributory factors to road accidents; hit and run accidents; the use of hospital data on road accidents.

This volume presents detailed statistics about the circumstances of personal injury road accidents. Some 50 data items are collected by the police STATS19 system for each accident, including the time and location of the accident, the types of vehicles involved and what they were doing at the time of the accident, as well as some information on the drivers and casualties involved. In 2009 there was a reported total of 222,146 casualties of all severities (4 per cent lower than 2009). Of those, 2,222 people were killed in road accidents, 316 fewer (12 per cent lower) than in 2008. It has long been known that a considerable proportion of non-fatal injury accidents are not reported to the police and the current best estimate is that the total number of road casualties in Great Britain each year is around 700,000. In addition to the detailed tables there are seven articles containing further analysis on specific road safety topics: an overview and trends in the police data; valuation of road accidents and casualties; drinking and driving; contributory factors in road accidents; survey data on road traffic accidents, including an overall estimate of total casualties; hospital admissions data on road casualties; road safety research. The statistics in STATS19 were reviewed recently and some changes recommended. Also, a new electronic police accident reporting system, CRASH, for secure collection, validation, transmission and storage of road traffic collision reports, is to be introduced in 2011 and 2012.

This volume presents detailed statistics about the circumstances of personal injury road accidents. Some 50 data items are collected for each accident, including the time and location of the accident, the types of vehicles involved and what they were doing at the time of the accident, as well as some information on the drivers and casualties involved. On average seven people were killed each day in 2008, less than half the rate in 1951. The Department for Transport, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly Government are working on a new road safety strategy for 2010 onwards, which will establish the approach, targets and measures for further reducing road casualties. The known fact that a considerable proportion of non-fatal injury accidents are not reported to the police is reflected in the new title for this annual publication. There are also seven articles containing further analysis on specific road safety topics: a general overview and progress towards casualty reduction targets; a valuation of road accidents and casualties in Great Britain in 2008; drinking and driving; contributory factors to road accidents; comparing police data on road accidents with other sources; an illustrative analysis of linked police and hospital data; an overview of road safety research.

This report presents the status of road safety in the WHO European Region and provides a baseline assessment of how far 49 countries have come in implementing the recommendations of the World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention. In the Region, road crashes result annually in 120,000 deaths, 2.4 million injuries and a great economic burden, which may be up to 3% of a country's gross domestic product. Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among people 5-29 years old. Vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and users of motorized two-wheelers constitute 39% of all road traffic injury fatalities, with pedestrians being more at risk in the eastern part of the Region. Countries differ greatly in mortality rates for road traffic injuries; the average in low- and middle-income countries is twice that in high-income countries. Countries policy responses in providing road safety for their citizens have differed. This report proposes the following areas of action: narrow the gap between countries with the lowest and highest mortality rates; provide better protection for vulnerable road users; develop a well-resourced multisectoral road safety strategy in each country; design and enforce comprehensive legislation; and develop and implement healthier transport policies. In addition, country profiles on the current status of road safety are presented for the 49 participating countries.

Although road accident deaths have halved between 1958 and 2007 whilst the number of licensed motor vehicles and vehicle mileage covered increased by 400 per cent, the current rate of 3,000 deaths and 250,000 injuries is still an unacceptably high level. Road accidents are the largest single cause of death for people between the ages of 5 and 35 in Britain, and road accidents cost our economy some £18 billion each year. The number of deaths and injuries on roads far outweighs the deaths and injuries in other transport modes, and should be viewed as a major public health problem. The Government should establish a British Road Safety Survey to track overall casualty and safety trends, and review current methods for recording road-traffic injuries. The Committee recommends a systems approach to road safety: ensuring the vehicle, the road infrastructure, regulations and driver training are designed to similar safety and performance standards. Other recommendations include: more 20 mph speed limits; a more proactive approach to determining the safety benefits of new vehicle technologies; action on young drivers - who represent a disproportionate risk to road users - and vulnerable users: motorcyclists, elderly and child pedestrians and cyclists, horse riders; a higher priority given to enforcement of drink-drive and drug-drive offences. The Committee recommends the establishment of an independent Road Safety Commission with powers to work across the whole of government, ensuring that a high priority and adequate resources are given to road safety and that all government departments and agencies give active support. The Government should also establish a road accident investigation branch, like those in aviation, rail and marine.

"Over 1.2 million people die each year on the world' roads, and between 20 and 50 million suffer non-fatal injuries. In most regions of the world this epidemic of road traffic injuries is still increasing. In the past five years most countries have endorsed the recommendations of the World report on road traffic injury prevention which give guidance on how countries can implement a comprehensive approach to improving road safety and reducing the death toll on their roads. To date, however, there has been no global assessment of road safety that indicates the extent to which this approach is being implemented. This Global status report on road safety is the first broad assessment of the status of road safety in 178 countries, using data drawn from a standardized survey conducted in 2008. The results provide a benchmark that countries can use to assess their road safety position relative to other countries, while internationally the data presented can collectively be considered as a global "baseline"against which progress over time can be measured. " - p. [v11]

This publication presents detailed statistics about the circumstances of personal injury accidents, including the types of vehicles involved, the resulting casualties and factors which may contribute to accidents. In addition to detailed tables there are six articles containing further analysis on specific road safety topics. Most of the statistics in the publication are based on information about accidents reported to the police. However, other sources such as mortality, survey and hospital data are also used as well as population and traffic data to provide a wider context