IAM Calls for Action over Pedestrian Injuries

Around 18,000 pedestrians were injured in an accident involving a vehicle in the last full year, according to new analysis by road safety charity the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).

The charity is calling for an even greater focus on pedestrian protection to make cars safer and raise awareness of the risks.

The figures come from a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by the IAM, asking for details of the most common pairs of contributory factors reported together by the police attending the scene of an accident in 2013.

‘Pedestrian failed to look properly’ with ‘pedestrian careless, reckless or in a hurry’ were named as factors in 4,100 casualty accidents, or 23% of the overall total, putting them clearly at Number 1.

The IAM Manifesto makes a number of suggestions on how to protect pedestrians, including making road safety education part of the national curriculum, making pedestrian safety a bigger factor in vehicle design and a long-term engineering programme to deliver safer roads in the UK.

“Pedestrian fatalities are rising faster than any other group right now so it is vital that drivers are more sympathetic and aware of pedestrians when they make their journeys,” commented Sarah Sillars, IAM chief executive officer. “There is no need to blame any party when it comes to how to reduce the numbers of people killed and injured on our roads – all road users need to look out for each other and ensure we minimise the impact of our own and others unpredictable behaviour."

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