Progress in reducing road traffic deaths and serious injuries in the UK has flatlined since 2010. Annually, over 30,000 people are killed or seriously injured – this is the equivalent of a medium-sized UK town suffering a catastrophic burden of injury every year.
The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) has coordinated a ground-breaking manifesto calling for immediate and strategic action to address the persistent issue of road fatalities and serious injuries in the UK. ‘Manifesto for Road Safety’ was developed through exhaustive consultations and support from more than 33 leading organisations. It outlines four strategic priorities for the government aimed at revolutionizing road safety and significantly reducing fatalities and serious injuries on UK roads.
These are:
- Developing a National Road Safety Strategy – Implement a Safe System Strategy focused on prevention, protection, and post-collision response, coupled with evidence-based targets and robust safety performance indicators.
- Establishing a Road Safety Investigation Branch – An independent body modelled after existing transportation safety branches to analyse road incidents and provide actionable insights for preventing future tragedies.
- Introducing Graduated Driver Licensing – A progressive licensing system to support young drivers by limiting high-risk driving situations, a measure proven to reduce fatalities by up to 40%.
- Adopting Advanced Vehicle Safety Regulations – Immediate implementation of the world-leading vehicle safety standards, mandating critical technologies such as Automatic Emergency Braking and Intelligent Speed Assistance.
This ‘manifesto’ is a unifying call from the road safety community to all political candidates: prioritize these life-saving measures in your platform and act swiftly upon taking office. The safety of all road users hangs in the balance – let us choose a path that leads to zero road deaths and injuries. Together, we can transform our roads into safer spaces for everyone in the UK.
Press Release can be accessed here
The UK passed a grim and shaming milestone: 500,000 people will have died on the roads in Great Britain since records began in 1926. During the same period, in context, there have been about 375,000 UK citizen deaths due to warfare since 1926 – a period that includes the Second World War, among many other conflicts.
Press Release from PACTS can be accessed here.
If you would like to add your name to the list of supporters, please email us with your logo.
Currently, around 5 people die every day on roads in the United Kingdom and many more are seriously injured, most of these deaths and injuries are predictable and preventable and the societal costs are huge. Road crashes and the resulting trauma have profound and devastating consequences on those involved with deaths and serious injuries. The societal and economic costs are around £43.5 billion each year which includes medical costs, lost output, and human costs. That is why we cannot accept that death and serious injury on this scale are the inevitable cost of road transport.
We are also falling behind the rate of improvement of other countries – according to the International Transport Forum 2023 Road Safety Annual Report 25 countries have done better than us – and we are not on track to meet the UN and Commonwealth Decade of Action target to halve road deaths by 2030.
For unique data about all reported road casualties for each parliamentary constituency see The PACTS/Agilysis Constituency Road Safety Dashboard.
To restore progress in reducing collisions on UK roads, we need a new commitment to ‘Vision Zero’ with a holistic and human-centered ‘safe system’ strategy that will deliver: safe roads, safe vehicles, and safe road users. Better speed management through a combination of improved road design, vehicle technology, and police enforcement is a key part of this approach. It will also contribute to wider goals for decarbonization, active travel, and improving public health.
The following comprehensive and impactful set of strategic initiatives aims to significantly enhance road safety, whilst aligning with sustainable development goals and ensuring progress towards UK roads being free from death and serious injury. This manifesto brings together many from the road safety community in a single ask to those seeking election in the upcoming General Election. Our recommendations are designed to make our roads safe, which could serve as major vote winners due to their direct positive impact on public health, and the environment, and save the economy tens of billions.
Long term commitment to road safety
The strategic policy priorities outlined serve as a critical foundation for an ambitious yet achievable vision, rooted in the principles of Vision Zero and a Safe System. The proposed road safety policies are not just life-saving; they are also economically prudent, potentially saving the UK economy billions annually. The journey to eradicating road deaths and injuries in the UK is both a challenge and a moral imperative and will take long-term commitment that demands the support and engagement of all stakeholders to achieve.
Following the recommendation of the Transport Select Committee’s report published in 2008, Ending the Scandal of Complacency: Road Safety Beyond 2010, and a subsequent report by the Transport Safety Commission – UK Transport Safety: who is responsible? establishing an advisory body comprised of road safety professionals is essential for supporting the Transport Secretary on evidence-based policies and translating them into actionable measures. This body would play a pivotal role in guiding the nation toward our goal: roads free from death and injury.
By enhancing our road infrastructure and traffic management, adopting cutting-edge technologies, providing exemplary emergency incident response and support for victims, improving the safety of young drivers and vulnerable road users, and empowering local authorities with the tools to protect and support their communities, we can make significant strides toward safe and more equitable mobility. This collective effort will not only save lives but also contribute to broader societal goals, including economy, public health, and environmental protection. The foundation laid by these strategic priorities is just the beginning of a deeper, more comprehensive commitment to road safety that demands the support and engagement of all stakeholders. The journey to eradicating road deaths and injuries in the UK is both a challenge and a moral imperative and will take long term commitment to achieve.
Furthermore, businesses and industries of all sizes and sectors can contribute to improving road safety through the good management of those who drive for work. The government should encourage and incentivize businesses to adopt the best practice based on the Safe System principles to their entire value chains including internal practices throughout their procurement, production, and distribution processes.
Manifesto Signatories and Supporters
If you would like to add your name to the list of supporters, please email Kumar Niketan with your logo.
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