Road traffic accidents in UK decrease

The number of road traffic accidents on UK roads has decreased, according to Department for Transport figures.

There were 1,910 people killed and 25,560 seriously injured in reported road accidents in the year ending June 2011 - a fall of four per cent respectively from the previous year.

Total reported child casualties also fell by two per cent, with those killed or seriously injured down by four per cent since June 2010.

However, the number of people killed on the roads has risen in the first half 2011 by 6.7 per cent.

Andrew Howard, the AA's head of road safety, told the Daily Mail: "I am alarmed about this upward turn. It seems that cuts to road maintenance and road safety budgets and to traffic policing are beginning to bite."

The total number of reported pedal cycle casualties also rose by six per cent, and the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured rose by eight per cent since June 2010.

Published by Kevin Round