BackDeprivation linked to road casualties
A report released today by an organisation called Road Safety Analysis, who analyses road safety data, has indicated that children from low income families and large council estates are more likely to become casualties on our roads. Research has found one example where children living in Preston are more than twice as likely to be injured on the road as the national average.
The research is based on five years’ data covering over 120,000 child road casualties and is the first time that such a detailed study has been conducted. The outer suburbs of large provincial cities across the UK were found to be where children are at most risk.
Living Streets believe that all streets should be made safe, attractive and enjoyable, regardless of where they are. Children from deprived areas are more likely to walk rather than use a car and use streets for recreation.
Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Living Streets said,
“Despite general improvements in safety, the fact that pedestrian casualties remain more likely in deprived areas is a terrible failure of policy over recent years. It is particularly shocking that in some areas children have almost a one in 200 chance of being injured each year.”
The Government must take action to improve road safety across the UK by making it as easy as possible to implement 20 mph limits locally. Local authorities should also ensure they are auditing the quality of their streets to ensure they are designed with pedestrians in mind.
All too often streets in deprived areas suffer from neglect and poor planning which leads to more dangerous conditions. We believe that all of our streets should be safe, attractive and enjoyable, not just those in well off areas.”
Published on: 18/08/2010
