UK failing to meet EU targets to half road deaths

[andyps]

There is an interesting item here which suggests that the UK is not performing as well as other countries in terms of reducing the numbers of road deaths. I have used the "contact us" page to ask how the West Yorkshire Casualty Reduction Partnership plan to change their strategy as the current one does not appear to be working. I await the response with interest....

It doesn't seem surprising to me actually - when the same partnership put up signs to inform about cameras which were to be erected in the village where I live I asked them what had been done to meet the other road safety measures which should be tried first criteria mentioned on their website. They said that was nothing to do with them and I should contact the local council highways department. That was in April this year. The cameras went up in June/July and despite continuing to ask various parties I still don't have a decent response.

[thinfourth2]

But ours are already about the lowest in europe so a bit difficult to drop in comparison to some of the more loony nations

[andyps]

Maybe true - but no doubt our government signed up for the target and aren't doing enough to meet it.

Edited by andyps on Wednesday 21st November 23:14

[shuvitupya]

The speeding thresholds will be lowered and more points will be applied to ones licence.

Would you expect anything else from a Government that thinks speeding kills.

Just expect more cameras and more fines.

[jondude]

I think traditonally we have had good basic stats, but the worst ever in western Europe so far as killing children is concerned. ( When did you last see a lollipop lady? )

This time of the year is particularly bad, as the kids all arrive soon at school in the dark, then leave when dark. Still, mustn't upset the Scottish farmers...

Our otherwise decent stats also came from the time when we did not have the M25 or decent motorways....endless traffic jams or cars moving slowly tends to mean bruises and bumps, not death.

As soon as our roads empty or traffic lightens, the lack of real police and decaying educational standards, plus performance cars well within reach of most pockets, means we are b-a-d. Dangerously bad!

[streaky]

jondude said:

I think traditonally we have had good basic stats, but the worst ever in western Europe so far as killing children is concerned. ( When did you last see a lollipop lady? )

This time of the year is particularly bad, as the kids all arrive soon at school in the dark, then leave when dark. Still, mustn't upset the Scottish farmers...

Our otherwise decent stats also came from the time when we did not have the M25 or decent motorways....endless traffic jams or cars moving slowly tends to mean bruises and bumps, not death.

As soon as our roads empty or traffic lightens, the lack of real police and decaying educational standards, plus performance cars well within reach of most pockets, means we are b-a-d. Dangerously bad!

Sexist comment! Actually, those bar one of local to me are all male - Streaky

[Einion Yrth]

jondude said:

This time of the year is particularly bad, as the kids all arrive soon at school in the dark, then leave when dark. Still, mustn't upset the Scottish farmers...

This bollox again; farmers work to the sun FFS. When did you last see a cow with a wristwatch?

[thinfourth2]

Einion Yrth said:

jondude said:

This time of the year is particularly bad, as the kids all arrive soon at school in the dark, then leave when dark. Still, mustn't upset the Scottish farmers...

This bollox again; farmers work to the sun FFS. When did you last see a cow with a wristwatch?

So scottish farmers have the ability to shift the planet They must be more talented then i thought

Listen you feck wit you live in a northern country so therefore in the winter we only have a limited amount of daylight and no amount of putting clocks backwards or forwards is going to change that unless you want to change the clocks twice a day. Up in the north we have even less light then down south. Even if you do move the clocks so that you have bright sunshine in the morning it will be dark in the evening. If you want light in the evening it will be dark in the morning. You can't change this

[WildCat]

Einion Yrth said:

jondude said:

This time of the year is particularly bad, as the kids all arrive soon at school in the dark, then leave when dark. Still, mustn't upset the Scottish farmers...

This bollox again; farmers work to the sun FFS. When did you last see a cow with a wristwatch?

Not matter what you do to the setting of Big Ben .. whatever .

You cannot change the planet's seasonal rotation or relationship to the sun. We always have short day lessening in daylight hours by two minutes each day to reach shortest "day" und thereafter lengthening by two minutes per day towards longest "day" in June


It also work as thinfourth say too. It where you perhap get the saying of "It right grim up North" .. but then the long balmy summery nights.. which are longer than yours down "down sarf"

Edited by WildCat on Thursday 22 November 07:42

[WildCat]

But back to the topic.. EU KSI reflect fewer child pedestrians/cyclists. More of these EU children walk/cycle/take tram/Postbus/School bus/normal bus or train to their schools. Perhaps they just trained up to use the roads better und even become more "experienced or "positively streetwise" as result.

Better designed roads with cycle lanes which really are cycle lanes und "obligatoire" in many places also help perhaps.. along with better training programme/test set up in first place now. France upped its test recently. It also upped the probationary period to three years as well. Germany followed und I think Italy ist next one to do this if I recall something I read in their motoring press recently..

Perhaps all this ... plus an increase in RPU targetting specifically fails to use seatbelts/under influence/ tailgating und jumping red lights by all road users - including pedestrians .. might be part of their "miracle turnararound" which has tipped UK from its former poll position in these "stats"

[Jasandjules]

WildCat said:

Perhaps they just trained up to use the roads better und even become more "experienced or "positively streetwise" as result.

IN Germany I was taught to use the Green Cross Code (well, same difference) when I first went to school, by both teachers and my parents.

IN the UK, I don't think I had any such lessons at all. IN fact, outside our school a lad was run over on the pedestrian crossing, mainly because he ran out when the traffic lights were still on green.

This country runs on the basis that the nasty driver is always at fault no matter what, and therefore children (and parents it seems to me) assume that the driver will mystically manage to avoid them when they run into the road. THIS attitude needs to change, along with the attitudes of many people who think that as long as they stick to 30mph they won't hit a child.

[HiRich]

This is all very strange. Both the following quotes are from the website:

West Yorkshire Casualty Reduction Partnership said:

UK FAILING TO MEET EU TARGET TO HALF ROAD DEATHS
Only three EU member states are on track to meet the EU target of halving road deaths between 2001 and 2010 claims the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC).
Out of 29 member states, Luxembourg, France and Portugal are the only countries currently on track The ETSC ranked the member states by progress in reducing road deaths between 2001 and 2006, and found the UK is the only large western European country in the bottom third.
Road deaths must be reduced by 7.4% in each EU country to meet the target. Currently, the average annual reduction is 4.9% across EU countries and 1% in the UK.

West Yorkshire Casualty Reduction Partnership also said:

We are responsible to the Government which, by the year 2010, wants to see;

• 40% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road collisions compared to 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.

Interesting Point No.1:

• The WYCRP criticises the UK for failing to meet one target, then states that it is working to a different target.
• As stated in the second quote, the accepted targets for all relevant bodies, from the Ministry of Transport down, are those relating to the 1994-8 baseline. These targets were set in 2000.

Interesting Point No.2:

• Progress to achieving the agreed target (reductions compared to the 1994-1998 baseline) is broadly on course. Most categories are on or ahead of target. The key exception is motorcyclists, where it should be noted that usage has increased by 33% compared to 15% for all traffic (RTGB2006 report, published September 2007)

Interesting Point 3:

• The WYCRP highlights a 'failure' to meet targets. So who is responsible on the ground for reaching those targets? Well in West Yorkshire, as a total stab in the dark, wouldn't it be the West Yorkshire Casualty Reduction Partnership?

I'm not clear what exactly the WYCRP is doing here. It's not actually lying, though it would seem to be very misleading. And they seem to be admitting that they are a bit crap. Curious.

[Einion Yrth]

thinfourth2 said:

Einion Yrth said:

jondude said:

This time of the year is particularly bad, as the kids all arrive soon at school in the dark, then leave when dark. Still, mustn't upset the Scottish farmers...

This bollox again; farmers work to the sun FFS. When did you last see a cow with a wristwatch?

So scottish farmers have the ability to shift the planet They must be more talented then i thought

Listen you feck wit you live in a northern country so therefore in the winter we only have a limited amount of daylight and no amount of putting clocks backwards or forwards is going to change that unless you want to change the clocks twice a day. Up in the north we have even less light then down south. Even if you do move the clocks so that you have bright sunshine in the morning it will be dark in the evening. If you want light in the evening it will be dark in the morning. You can't change this

You seem to be agreeing with me; and yet you also appear to be calling me a feckwit. I am confused.

[esselte]

Surelt it's easie for a country witha crap record,Portugal for example,to improve it's stas whereas for us it's getting more and more difficult?

[mark69sheer]

I actually think that the UK roads are pretty safe indeed.
One of the reasons why I think speeding is just a money earner.
I have driven abroad often and find driving standards in other countries to be very poor.

[gozomark]

esselte said:

Surelt it's easie for a country witha crap record,Portugal for example,to improve it's stas whereas for us it's getting more and more difficult?

in the same way its easier to improve spelling if there are lots of errors to correct ?

[jondude]

Einion Yrth said:

thinfourth2 said:

Einion Yrth said:

jondude said:

This time of the year is particularly bad, as the kids all arrive soon at school in the dark, then leave when dark. Still, mustn't upset the Scottish farmers...

This bollox again; farmers work to the sun FFS. When did you last see a cow with a wristwatch?

So scottish farmers have the ability to shift the planet They must be more talented then i thought

Listen you feck wit you live in a northern country so therefore in the winter we only have a limited amount of daylight and no amount of putting clocks backwards or forwards is going to change that unless you want to change the clocks twice a day. Up in the north we have even less light then down south. Even if you do move the clocks so that you have bright sunshine in the morning it will be dark in the evening. If you want light in the evening it will be dark in the morning. You can't change this

You seem to be agreeing with me; and yet you also appear to be calling me a feckwit. I am confused.

Non sensical and childishly written.

Scottish farmers stopped England and Wales experimenting with daylight saving back in the 70s, and they still lobby with venom every time the matter is brought up.

The point you miss is about children, even though it was clear in my original post. No-one has said anything about the hours of light available - just how we arrange our clocks to assist cutting down accidents. And if it is right the Scots ( not just the farmers ) have the right to tell the rest of England to lump it?

All research shows it is the end of the day, from 3-6, when drivers are most dangerous. By putting the clocks back we EXTEND the period in which children are going home in darkness, and at the worst possible time for lack of concentration and skill among drivers.

And more are killed. That is a sad fact.

I don't think anyone would object to the Scots having their own way with DS, so long as they left us alone to decide for ourselves.

Try this link:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/TRUCKS/news/docs.2005-...

[Hooli]

jondude said:

When did you last see a lollipop lady?

they nromally operate in pairs BOTH pushing the buttons on easch side of the road at the SAME crossing around here - what a sodding waste of resources.
or you get one 100yrds from a crossing for kids who are too thick to use the crossing. let the shits get run over, its darwin in action. any decent parent will have taught their kid to cross the road so we wont be losing any decent people.

harsh you may think, but its about time they realised & enforced that its not always the driver.

[Einion Yrth]

jondude said:

Einion Yrth said:

thinfourth2 said:

Einion Yrth said:

jondude said:

This time of the year is particularly bad, as the kids all arrive soon at school in the dark, then leave when dark. Still, mustn't upset the Scottish farmers...

This bollox again; farmers work to the sun FFS. When did you last see a cow with a wristwatch?

So scottish farmers have the ability to shift the planet They must be more talented then i thought

Listen you feck wit you live in a northern country so therefore in the winter we only have a limited amount of daylight and no amount of putting clocks backwards or forwards is going to change that unless you want to change the clocks twice a day. Up in the north we have even less light then down south. Even if you do move the clocks so that you have bright sunshine in the morning it will be dark in the evening. If you want light in the evening it will be dark in the morning. You can't change this

You seem to be agreeing with me; and yet you also appear to be calling me a feckwit. I am confused.

Non sensical and childishly written.

Scottish farmers stopped England and Wales experimenting with daylight saving back in the 70s, and they still lobby with venom every time the matter is brought up.

The point you miss is about children, even though it was clear in my original post. No-one has said anything about the hours of light available - just how we arrange our clocks to assist cutting down accidents. And if it is right the Scots ( not just the farmers ) have the right to tell the rest of England to lump it?

All research shows it is the end of the day, from 3-6, when drivers are most dangerous. By putting the clocks back we EXTEND the period in which children are going home in darkness, and at the worst possible time for lack of concentration and skill among drivers.

And more are killed. That is a sad fact.

I don't think anyone would object to the Scots having their own way with DS, so long as they left us alone to decide for ourselves.

Try this link:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/TRUCKS/news/docs.2005-...

I think my point is rather that I cannot understand why farmers should care what the clocks say since their livestock neither know nor care. If however you gain some sort of enjoyment from insulting me, for whatever reason, go ahead; I'm old enough and ugly enough not to care unduely.

[bobt]

esselte said:

Surelt it's easie for a country witha crap record,Portugal for example,to improve it's stas whereas for us it's getting more and more difficult?

How very dare you!