Road casualties increase after Covid dip - RAC reaction

Following the publication this morning of provisional Great Britain road casualty figures for 2022, RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said:

“There’s no doubt these figures make for gloomy reading – after a reduction in fatalities on our roads during the coronavirus lockdowns, the numbers are now rising again. And, while the lack of progress over many years in bringing overall casualty numbers down is itself a cause for concern, the figures for the number of men - of all age groups, but especially the young – who are killed on our roads is stark.

“Every person killed is one person too many and we feel improving road safety needs to be given the attention and resources it deserves. We urge the Government to take a serious look at reintroducing casualty reductions targets to give the whole topic much more focus on a national stage.

“RAC research also shows an increasing proportion of drivers are concerned about the poor standard of driving – as many as one-in-three say it is one of their main concerns. As a result, we strongly believe the Government should look at whether the long-term decline in full-time road traffic police officers has led to a worsening in driver behaviour and a rise in casualties as a result.”