2008 Casualty Figures from the Department of Transport

The Department for Transport has published statistics on road casualties in accidents reported to the police in Great Britain in 2008, according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority:

• The number of people killed in road accidents fell by 14 per cent from 2,946 in 2007 to 2,538 in 2008. In accidents reported to the police 28,572 people were killed or seriously injured in 2008, 7 per cent fewer than in 2007. There were just under 231,000 road casualties in Great Britain in 2008, 7 per cent less than in 2007.
• The number of deaths among car users in 2008 was 1,257, 12 per cent less than in the previous year.  The reported number seriously injured fell by 7 per cent to 10,711.  Total reported casualties among car users were 149,188, 8 per cent lower than 2007. Traffic estimates indicate a 1 per cent fall in car and taxi traffic over the period.
• Reported Child casualties fell by 8 per cent. The number of children killed or seriously injured in 2008 was 2,807 (down 9 per cent on 2007). Of those, 1,784 were pedestrians, 6 per cent down on 2007. 124 children died on the roads, 2 per cent higher than in the previous year, when the lowest ever child fatality figure of 121 was recorded.
• There were 572 pedestrian deaths, 11 per cent less than in 2007. Reported killed or serious injured casualties fell by 4 per cent to 6,642. The all pedestrian casualty figure fell to 28,482 in 2008, 6 per cent lower than 2007.
• The number of pedal cyclists killed fell by 15 per cent from 136 in 2007 to 115 in 2008. The number of seriously injured rose by 1 per cent to 2,450. The total casualties among pedal cyclists rose by 1 per cent to 16,297.
• There were 493 motorcycle user fatalities in accidents reported to the police in 2008, 16 per cent lower than during 2007. The reported number of killed or seriously injured fell compared to 2007 (down 10 percent from 6,737 in 2007 to 6,049 in 2008). The all motorcycle user casualties figure for 2008 of 21,550 is 8 per cent lower than in 2007
• There were 170,591 road accidents reported to the police involving personal injury in 2008, 6 per cent fewer than in 2007.  Of these, 25,462 accidents involved death or serious injury, 6 percent fewer than in 2007 (27,036).

In 2000, the Government announced a new road safety strategy and set new targets for reducing casualties by 2010. It wants to see:

• 40% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents compared with the average for 1994-98;
• 50% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured;
• 10% reduction in the slight casualty rate, expressed as the number of people slightly injured per 100 million vehicle kilometres.

In 2008, the number of people killed or seriously injured was 40 per cent below the 1994-98 average; the number of children killed or seriously injured was 59 per cent below the 1994-98 average; and provisional estimates show the slight casualty rate was 36 per cent below the 1994-98 average.

Sentencing Guidelines for Courts dealing with Driving Offences Resulting in Death

In July 2008 The Sentencing Guidelines Council issued guidelines for Judges and Magistrates when sentencing drivers guilty of a driving offence which results in a death. They are given a clear message that such offences are serious and should receive appropriate sentences. Lengthy custodial sentences are recommended by the Sentencing Guidelines Council for cases involving:

• prolonged, persistent and deliberate bad driving
• driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs
• offenders who were distracted by a hand-held mobile phone when the offence was committed
• offenders who were reading or composing text messages whilst at the wheel

Clear advice on driving bans is also given. Magistrates and judges are reminded that disqualifications are effective from the day that they are imposed and will only be of practical effect if they extend beyond the period that will be served in prison.

The definitive guideline covers four offences:

• causing death by dangerous driving
• causing death by careless driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• causing death by careless driving
• and causing death by driving while unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured.

Chairman of the Council, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers said: "Sentencing in cases where death results from the misuse of a car on the road are among the most difficult for judges and magistrates. [...] This guideline is designed to support sentencers in making the very difficult decisions that face them in these cases."

The full Press Release issued by the SGC on 15th July 2008 is available here for downloading; as well as a copy of the "Causing Death by Driving - Definitive Guideline" document.