Latest DfT road casualty figures - IAM responds

His comments came in response to the latest road casualty figures from the Department for Transport (DfT).

Mr Best sasid: “Road accidents usually drop during an economic recession, so this rise after continuous reductions over the last 10 years, is particularly concerning.

“Ministers should take this as a serious warning. Cutting road safety education, scrapping casualty targets, and reductions in local authority spending all suggest that road safety isn’t a major priority for this government.”

Road deaths rose by three per cent last year (rising from 1,850 in 2010 to 1,901 in 2011), and serious injuries increased by two per cent (rising from 22,660 in 2010 to 23,122 in 2011).

For killed and seriously injured combined, the number of people killed or seriously injured increased by two per cent to 25,023 from 24,510 in 2010 – the first annual increase since 1994.

Pedestrians saw the biggest increase in deaths – there was a 12 per cent rise in pedestrian fatalities last year, rising from 405 in 2010 to 453 in 2011.

Serious injuries for cyclists rose from 2,660 in 2010 to 3,085 in 2011 (a 16 per cent increase). Cyclist fatalities remained similar to last year; 111 deaths in 2010 compared to 107 in 2011 (a 4 per cent reduction).

The full findings are available at http://www.dft.gov.uk/statistics/releases/reported-road-casualties-gb-main-results-2011/