The number of people killed as a result of accidents on UK roads has fallen to a record low, the latest statistics from the Department for Transport (DfT) show.
In 2013, 1,713 people were killed in road traffic accidents – a two per cent reduction on 2012’s figures – while the number of people seriously injured dropped by six per cent to 21,657.
This was despite a slight overall increase in traffic of 0.4 per cent between 2012 and 2013.
The statistics show that 46 per cent of those killed in road accidents were car passengers, 23 per cent were pedestrians, 19 per cent were motorcyclists and six per cent were cyclists.
Of those, only one group recorded an increase in the number of fatalities – motorcyclist deaths rose by one per cent, the first increase since 2006.
Thankfully, fatalities amongst children in accidents fell by nine per cent between 2012 and 2013, down to their lowest level since records began in 1979. This is remarkable given the colossal rise in traffic volumes since then.
The statistics also show that motorways are the safest roads on which to travel, with just six per cent of fatalities occurring on them. Conversely, rural roads are seen as the biggest risk to motorists, with 52 per cent of deaths occurring in non-built up areas.
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