Lawford Kidd's Blog

Reported road accident and casualty statistics have been released by Transport Scotland’s Statistician.

The statistics show that there were:

• 186 deaths on Scotland's roads in 2011 - 11% fewer than in 2010 (208), 47% fewer than 2001 (348) and the lowest figure since records began;
• 1,875 reported seriously injured in 2011 - 5% fewer than in 2010 (1,968), 45% fewer than 2001 (3,410) and the lowest number since records began;
• 12,770 reported casualties in total in 2011 - 4% fewer than in 2010 (13,338) and a 36% reduction on 2001 (19,911);
• 1,315 child casualties, 5% fewer than in 2010 (1,378) and 55% fewer than 2001 (2,923); and
• seven child fatalities in 2011, three more than 2010 and an average of five over the last three years.

With regards to road accidents, there were:

The Department of Transport has published detailed statistics on traffic related personal injury accidents in 2011.

Key findings from the report include:

• In 2011, there were a total of 203,950 casualties of all severities in road accidents reported to the police, 2% lower than in 2010. There were 1,901 people killed, a 3% increase over 2010 and 23,122 were seriously injured, up 2%. Motor vehicle traffic increased slightly (0.2%) over the same period.
• The number of fatalities fell for three types of road user, with a fall of 22% for bus and coach occupants, 10% for motor cyclists and 4% for pedal cyclists. Pedestrian and car occupants rose by 12% and 6% respectively.
• In 2011, it is estimated 9,990 reported casualties (5% of all road casualties) occurred when someone was driving whilst over the legal alcohol limit. The provisional number of people estimated to have been killed in drink drive accidents was 280 (15% of all road fatalities).
• Failed to look properly was again the most frequently reported contributory factor and was reported in 42% of all accidents reported to the police in 2011.
• In 2011, the economic welfare cost of reported road accidents was estimated to be around £15.6 billion.

Lawyers have called for “sanity” in the national whiplash debate after claims dropped by 24,000 in the last year.

An independent survey, commissioned by the not-for-profit Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) also found that almost 40% of people who have suffered a whiplash injury have never claimed compensation for it.

The new information “injects some sanity into a national debate characterised by overblown and inaccurate rhetoric,” said APIL president Karl Tonks.

A recent report by the AA Charitable Trust and Make Roads Safe campaign has found that nearly 40% of drivers had crashed by the time they turned 23-years-old. Around a quarter of those polled had crashed within two years of getting their driving licence.

The report calls for greater education and driving opportunities for young drivers. Edmund King, director of the AA Charitable Trust, said: “It’s no secret that new and young drivers are disproportionately represented in road crashes and we need to work together to stem this tide of carnage.

“Road safety education must be a life skill that starts at the age of three but is continually refreshed throughout life. It needs to begin many years before someone is old enough to apply for their provisional licence.

Hundreds of thousands of whiplash injuries could be prevented each year with better head restraints and seats in UK cars, according to Axa Insurance.

The company carried out research, in conjunction with motor research organisation Thatcham, into the cars on the UK's roads and estimates that only 34% have head restraints and seats that would be categorised as "good" when it comes to reducing the risk of the driver being the victim of whiplash injuries.

In the UK, 1600 claims for whiplash are made per day - 570,000 per year - costing the insurance industry £2bn per year in payouts. If 65% of these could be avoided through better head restraints and seats this could mean a reduction of 370,500 claims costing around £1.3bn.