Statistics
From Pedalpushers
A resource page for statistics relating to cycling
According to The Guardian ,
Road deaths cost economy £8bn a year, says watchdog
David Pallister
Monday February 26, 2007
The Guardian
England's road safety record is one of the best in Europe, but the 3,000 deaths every year cost the economy nearly £8bn, according to a report published today by the Audit Commission.
Only the Netherlands and Sweden have a better safety record, with the worst being the Czech Republic, Greece and Poland. But the number of child pedestrian deaths shows England has a poor record. Ten countries have fewer child deaths, and among the worst are Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. he countries with the lowest rate of child casualties tend to have more speed reduction measures, light-controlled crossings and play areas. Another significant factor is poverty. The estimated injury rate for child pedestrians is four times higher in the most deprived area than the least deprived.
The commission found that, according to police data, good progress had been made in the past 10 years to meet targets for reducing the number of casualties. But an analysis of hospital admissions suggested that road accidents had remained constant. The Department for Transport is investigating the discrepancy.
According to the department, the number of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured has risen by 1% since the mid-1990s, while the numbers for car users, cyclists and pedestrians fell by almost 40%. A fifth of all drivers involved in an accident are under 25, with a quarter of all men who die by the age of 25 killed in road accidents.
Research shows that urban roads are more than twice as dangerous as rural roads, but accidents in the countryside claim more than 60% of fatalities.
Attitudes to road safety were found to be contradictory. About three-quarters of people support 20mph speed restrictions in residential areas, including 72% of drivers. But only 43% of drivers favour speed bumps which, the commission says, can be necessary to enforce the lower speed limit.
The report said: "This is symptomatic of the paradoxical views often expressed by road users. The risk of having an accident is the least pressing worry for British motorists; their top concern is traffic congestion, followed closely by financial cost."
The proportion of motorists exceeding speed limits is still high. Yet 82% of drivers approve of speed cameras.
National Statistics Series DH2, No. 30
Review of the Registrar General on deaths by cause, sex and age, in England and Wales, 2003
(can be found on the National Statistics website)
Table 2.19, Deaths: underlying cause. External causes of morbidity and mortality
V01 Pedestrian injured in collision with pedal cycle: 2 (Yes, TWO)
V02 Pedestrian injured in collision with 2 or 3 wheeled motor vehicle: 19
V03 Pedestrian injured in collision with car, pickup truck or van: 290
V04 Pedestrian injured in collision with heavy transport vehicle or bus: 109
The is also a category V09 Pedestrian injured in other unspecified transport accident: 180 (could be any transport accident related death but exact cause has not been recorded
For 2001 Sheffield "Travel to Work" Statistics click here
For comparative figures on UK & International Cycling Levels click here
Latest study from the European Commission from BBC website....
Posted 01/03/05 Air pollution causes early deaths
Air pollution is responsible for 310,000 premature deaths in Europe each year, research suggests.
A study by the European Commission calculated that air pollution reduces life expectancy by an average of almost nine months across the European Union. Poor quality air is thought to result in more than 32,000 premature deaths in the UK each year alone. Experts say many of these deaths could be avoided if measures were put in place to cut pollution levels. Premature deaths due to particulate matter Germany 65,088 Italy 39,436 France 36,868 UK 32,652 Poland 27,934 Spain 13,939 Netherlands 13,123 Hungary 11,067 Belgium 10,669 Czech Republic 7,996 Austria 4,634 EU member states, 2000
The figures show every European takes on average half a day off sick a
year due to illnesses linked to air pollution - costing the economy more
than 80bn euros (£5.5bn).
Posted 22/2/04
Cycling fell by 14% in the 2nd quarter of 2004 and by 21% in the third quarter. Reasons that have been cited are the weather, and a good deal of prss coverage about the "dangers" of cycling.
CCN News Jan 2004
Hull put in £4million of cycling infrastructure and saved the NHS £40million over a 4 year period
(Alison Hill) APPCG 04/05
These are the latest figures on Road Traffic Accidents (posted 12/7/04)
Pedal cyclist casualties were at about the same level as in 2002 dropping by only 74 to 17,033 in 2003. There were 2,297 seriously injured casualties, 1 per cent less than in 2002. The number of pedal cyclists killed fell by 12 per cent from 130 to 114. Cycle traffic decreased by an estimated 5 per cent.
Source.
Cycling offences down: The number of people proceeded against for cycle offences in England and Wales has fallen every year from 1998 (2380) to 2002 (636).
Hansard 10/3//04 column 1573W www.parliament.uk
Penalties for dangerous drivers up: The max. sentence for causing death by dangerous driving increases from 10 to 14 years through the Criminal Justice Act 2003.
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/n_story.asp?item_id=834 However, bear in mind that it is incredibly rare for these maximum sentences to be imposed and that those gaoled are usually released after serving half their sentence, e.g. Gary Hart, (Great Heck disaster) released after serving half of a 5 year sentence.
Car costs down: Between 1997 and 2003, the cost of travelling by car in real terms fell 4.8%, by train rose by 3% and by bus 8.2%. Hansard 20/4/04 147(debates) www.parliament.uk Useful for reminding all those fool protesters that they are, well, fools. And as for buses!! Yes First, we mean you.
Cycle traffic up: Provisional figures for the first quarter of 2004 indicate that car traffic rose by approximately 2% since the same quarter last year. Cycle traffic grew by 3%. This is the first rise since quarter 3 in 2002.
Road traffic in Great Britain - Q1 2004. 06/05/04 news release www.dft.gov.uk
Some older articles:-
Pedal Cyclists in Road Accidents Personal Injury Road Accidents: Great Britain 1998
Footway injuries
Recent trends in cycling
Mean Minimum Temperature
Air Quality and Health (From Tinsley Press Release, 7/11/00) Health benefits of cycling
Transport congestion
Reference Sites
Pedal Cyclists in Road Accidents: Great Britain 1998
Key Statistics
158 Killed (5% of All Fatalities)
3,154 Seriously Injured (8% of All Serious Injuries)
19,611 Slightly Injured (7% of All Slight Injuries)
Source: DETR ( http://www.transtat.detr.gov.uk/facts/accident/bicycle/cycle98.htm ) Personal Injury Road Accidents: Great Britain 1998
Key Statistics
238,923 Injury accidents
3,421 Deaths
40,834 Serious Injuries
280,957 Slight Injuries
Source: DETR ( http://www.transtat.detr.gov.uk/facts/accident/person/person98.htm ) Footway injuries
In 1999, there were 79 accidents involving cyclists in which there was an injury to a pedestrian on the footway or verges. On main carriageways, there were 217 pedestrian injuries which involved a cyclist. No information on the causes of these accidents is available . Answer to Parliamentary Question by Ben Chapman (Lab).
Source: Cycle Campaign Network . Recent trends in cycling
Over the last ten years the number of journeys made by bicycle has fallen by 36%, from 25 journeys per person per year in 1985/86 to 16 in 1996/98. About 2% of journeys are by bicycle.
The total distance cycled (including cycling stages made as part of a journey with another
main mode) fell by less, from 44 miles per person per year in 1985/86 to 38 miles in
1996/98. Cycling now accounts for just 0.6% of the total distance travelled.
In 1996/98, 7% of males and 3% of females in the National Travel Survey sample used a
bicycle at least once during the survey week. This is a decrease from the 1985/86 levels of
8% and 5%, for males and females respectively.
Source: DETR ( http://www.transtat.detr.gov.uk/facts/nts/pt5_99/cycle99.htm ) Climate. Mean Minimum Temperature
In general, night time temperatures have increased throughout the twentieth century and recent winters have seen fewer frosts. The mean minimum Central England Temperature in 1999 was the highest since records began in 1878.
Daily mean temperatures have so far in 2000 been above average.
Source: Met Office. ( http://www.met-office.gov.uk/sec5/CR_div/UK_Climate/index.html)
Air Quality and Health (From Tinsley Press Release, 7/11/00)
Poor air makes some conditions worse, e.g. respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, asthma and bronchitis 10,000 - 24,000 people in UK die prematurely each year due to air pollution 14,000 - 24,000 hospital admissions per year are associated with short - term air pollution 6% of all deaths are due to air pollution Darnall Ward has the highest under 75 mortality for coronary heart disease in Sheffield The prevalence of childhood asthma has increased by about 50% in the last 30years The prevalence of undiagnosed childhood asthma increases with increased deprivation (BMA,1998; Acheson,1998; Halpern, 1995; Kunzli et al, 2000; Sheffield Health; BMA 1998; G Ng Man Kwong et. al, 2000)
Health costs of air pollution 1.7% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) equivalent to £84m for Sheffield based on 1996 GDP (Kunzli et al 2000) NHS emergency admissions due to respiratory and heart diseases cost £1.1 billion (Department of Heath 1999) Noise and Health
Mental health problems associated both with high levels of noise and traffic, and with the source of noise Annoyance, sleep disturbance, subjective sleep quality, mood next day Ischaemic heart disease Under-performance by school children (Halpern, 1995 Medical Research Council, 1997;)
Environmental and Health costs of noise pollution 0.2% to 2% of Gross Domestic Product equivalent to £10m to £99m for Sheffield based on 1996 GDP (European Green Paper on Noise) Health benefits of cycling Did you know?
The health benefits of cycling outweigh the risks of a fatal accident by 20-1 according to the BMA.
Regular cycling - that means just 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week - halves the risk of heart attack the National Heart Foundation has found.
Most regular cyclists have fitness levels equivalent to non-cyclists ten years their junior says the British Journal of Industrial Medicine, 1986.
If one third of all short car journeys were made by bike, national heart disease rates would fall by between 5% and 10% - Bikes not Fumes, CTC.
Australia made helmets mandatory in 1990. The number of people cycling dropped dramatically as a result and in Western Australia remains 15-20 per cent down. In 1999 the Road Accident Prevention Research Unit said the number of head injuries to cyclists had dropped by between 11 and 20 per cent -less than the decline in cycling ie the risk per cyclist has increased.
Helmet use has risen to about 40 per cent in London from 1986 but there has been no change in cycle fatalities. Serious head injuries rose in the period of greatest helmet up take.
CTC Press Release, 10-11-2000
1 TRANSPORT Congestion (see also TRANSPORT Report) ROAD CONGESTION `SERIOUSLY AFFECTING SMALL BUSINESSES' By Peter Woodman, Transport Correspondent, PA News A third of small firms believe road congestion is having a serious impact on their business, according to a new survey. More than three in four firms say investment in public transport is the best solution to encourage motorists to leave their cars at home. But only 16% of staff at the 1,500 small firms surveyed used public transport to get to and from work. From the Yellow Pages company, the survey also discovered: :: Nearly half of the companies believe that new workplace parking levies will be damaging. :: A third believe that new congestion charging zones could lead to increases in delivery costs, a drop in staff retention and business opportunities. :: 66% believe that the cost of transport to their business has increased in the last year, 24% believe it has remained the same and 8% believe it has decreased. :: In terms of one single thing to improve transport in the UK, 49% cited better or more investment in public transport, 16% better or upgraded roads, 11% cheaper transport and 5% more new roads. :: 74% of staff travel to work in privately owned vehicles and a further 10% in company cars. :: In terms of public transport, 11% use buses, 4% trains and 1% the London Underground or a Metro system. :: 60% of companies provide free car parking spaces for staff at their place of work. John Condron, chief executive of Yell, publisher of Yellow Pages, said: ``The findings clearly demonstrate that road congestion is hitting business hard and damaging competitiveness. ``This is a serious matter and one that needs urgent action if small businesses are not to suffer permanent harm. end
TRAFFIC JAMS ACCEPTED AS WAY OF LIFE'
By Peter Woodman, Transport Correspondent, PA News Many motorists now accept traffic jams as a way of life with more drivers leaving extra time to complete journeys, says a major annual motoring survey out today. Drivers believe that more than 70% of motorists speed on motorways, although only 42% admitted exceeding the limits themselves, the survey from the RAC also found. Almost one in four company car drivers is unaware of tax changes affecting their vehicles from this April, the survey showed. Based on interviews with nearly 1,800 drivers as well as more than 300 teenagers aged 13-16, the survey showed that congestion affected more than 80% of motorists in some way. But most drivers preferred to find a way round the congestion rather than switch to alternative transport, with 24% leaving earlier, 22% taking different routes, and 18% changing journey times. Only 29% were confident to set off on a journey without making any provision for extra time to cope with congestion. This compared with a figure of 41% in the 1997 annual survey. Asked to rate congestion on a scale of 0 to 3, with 3 indicating ``very serious, motorists assessed congestion in London at 2.8 and in other major cities at 2.4 Asked to consider which regular weekly car journey they could give up, 29% would not or could not think of one. Two in five blamed ``too many cars on the road for the congestion, while 18% blamed roadworks. As many as 10% blamed public transport for the congestion. In the 1994 report, drink-driving topped the list of the main cause of accidents. In this year's report, driving too fast was considered the main cause, with 45% of drivers citing speed. Drink-driving was only cited by 9%. Among company car drivers 77% were aware of the coming company car tax changes, but only 15% were told by their employers. As many as 58% of company car drivers admitted speeding on motorways, with 75% of them reckoning that speed cameras are a good way of deterring speed. end
1 TRANSPORT Report Factfile `SPEED CAMERAS POPULAR AMONG 78% OF DRIVERS' By Peter Woodman, Transport Correspondent, PA News The RAC today published a major annual report on motoring trends having sought the views of nearly 1,800 drivers. :: 71% of motorists believe ``most drivers exceed the speed limit on motorways and 51% think others generally go too fast on residential roads. :: Only 42% admit to speeding themselves on motorways and 17% on residential roads. :: 22% of drivers suggest that speed limits do not mean much on motorways and that drivers should judge for themselves. :: 42% believe the 70 mph limit for cars on motorways is too low. :: 78% of drivers consider speed cameras a good way of deterring speeding and do not consider them an infringement of personal liberty. :: 60% agree speed cameras cause people to slow down dangerously quickly. :: 48% suggest that cameras are just a way of raising revenue for the police/government. :: 76% of motorists support having more cameras at traffic lights to catch red light jumpers, while 69% who have been ``flashed by cameras have had nothing happen subsequently. :: 45% of motorists perceive speed as the main cause of accidents - followed by distractions (18%), driving too close to the vehicle in front (9%) and drink driving (9%). :: Almost 50% of motorists provided an estimate on the number of deaths on UK roads - the average given was 16,000 a year. :: In fact, there were 3,409 deaths in the year 2000. :: 55% of motorists consider young drivers as most to blame for accidents. :: 58% of drivers blame others entirely for accidents, with only 26% taking responsibility for their last accident. :: In the previous three years 30% of company car drivers had been involved in an accident (up from 29% in 1996), 19% of younger drivers aged 17-34 had had a crash (down from 25% in 1996) and 15% of drivers over 55 had been involved in an accident (up 3% since 1996). :: 42% of those in the survey suggest banning the use of mobile phones in cars should be the Government's top priority to reduce accident rates. :: 31% want increased enforcement of all motoring offences.
end
230305 JAN 02
==========================================================
Reference Sites
The Commission For Integrated Transport has produced some interesting comparisons between town and cities in the UK, Europe and Worldwide.
The Parliamentary Advisory Commission for Transport Safety also has some useful stats.
