Brake, the road safety charity, is calling on the government to take action and reduce the numbers of deaths and injuries on our roads. In recent years it has become increasingly apparent that reductions in road casualties are beginning to stall. Brake is calling on the government to act now to prevent stagnation in the long-term.

A Department for Transport report published 29 September 2016 confirms that outside of a few minor gains road casualty reductions have remained largely static; and while we welcome the slight drop in road deaths and serious injuries on our roads, more must be done to speed up the process of road casualty reduction.

Vehicle traffic has risen by almost 2 per cent in the last year, matched by a significant population increase of 15 per cent over the past 30 years; meaning as well as the increased danger of crashes, we are seeing increased pollution.

Lucy Amos, research advisor for Brake, said: “The report released by the Department for Transport reveals the danger of complacency and over-confidence. The UK currently has one of the best road safety records in the world, but this cannot be relied upon. No road death is acceptable and we must continue to work towards reducing death and injury on the roads without compromise.

“The population and vehicle traffic levels have been steadily increasing in recent years. Action must be taken now to prevent numbers from overwhelming safety measures. This is why Brake is calling for the reintroduction of ambitious casualty reduction targets to act as a driving force for the fight against road death and injury at the national level; increased investment in road infrastructure to develop a safe and sustainable road network; and more resources assigned to road traffic police to ensure that legislation can be effectively enforced.â€