Post on 07-Feb-2022
motoring trust
www.iamtrust.org.uk
- the biggest killer
An independent voice for responsible motoring and road safety research
Rural roads
� �
On an average day, nine people die on Britain’s roads; six of them are killed on rural roads. But why are roads in the countryside the biggest killers; what are the ingredients in those crashes that make them more dangerous than roads in towns and cities; what are the common factors that point to the causes?
The IAM Motoring Trust asked road safety researcher Jean Hopkin to find out by looking at the official data of over a quarter of a million fatal and serious injury crashes over the six years, between �000 and �005. Her extensive analysis compares all the relevant factors of crashes on rural roads in England, Wales and Scotland.
Two-thirds of fatal and serious casualties on rural roads happen on 60 or 70 mph speed limit non-motorway roads. No matter how skilled and conscientious the driver, the determinants of death, serious or slight injuries on these roads are the impact speed, the EuroNCAP “star rating” of the car, and what the car hits.
Car manufacturers have invested heavily in crash protection so that today new cars are driven out of the showroom with 4 or 5– star crash protection ratings. But not even a 5-star car can protect its occupants in a crash on a 1-star rural road; most are sub-standard in safety and crash protection making them potentially lethal when things go wrong.
But that is now changing. The new science and engineering of “road protection” can make roads more forgiving when a crash happens. The road authority
safety engineers in England, Wales and Scotland have the skills to transform the safety of Britain’s rural roads. Without political support and the resources they can’t do it, but with them hundreds of lives and ten times as many disabling injuries would be saved every year.
The IAM Motoring Trust welcomes a debate on the facts and the issues that Jean Hopkin’s analysis presents. Please let us know what you think should be done to reduce deaths and injuries on Britain’s rural roads.
You can contact us at info@iamtrust.org.ukNeil GreigDirectorIAM Motoring Trust
Six years of deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads – the big pictureMore than a quarter of a million roads users were killed or seriously injured on all of Britain’s roads – urban and rural – in the six years between �000 and �005, most on roads in England
Rural roads: the biggest killerIn Wales and Scotland, three-quarters of fatalities occur on rural roads, compared with two-thirds on rural roads in England; more than half of serious injuries are on rural roads in Wales and Scotland, compared with less than half in England.
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
0%
43%
57% 64
%
36%
58%
42%
Serious Injuries
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
RuralRoads
0%UrbanRoads
RuralRoads
UrbanRoads
RuralRoads
UrbanRoads
62%
38%
76%
24%
75%
25%
Fatalities
RuralRoads
UrbanRoads
RuralRoads
UrbanRoads
RuralRoads
UrbanRoads
Two-thirds of those killed or seriously injured on rural roads are car drivers and passengers; a fifth are motorcycle riders
England
In a car63%
RidingMotorcycle
20%
Walking or cycling11%
Others6%
Wales
In a car64%
RidingMotorcycle
19%
Walking or cycling12%
Others5%
Scotland
Walking or cycling12%
Others7%
In a car66%
RidingMotorcycle
15%
Where, when and why are people killed on rural roads?
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
180,000
8,637 18,424
177,971
0
Seriously Injured
1,000
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
17,264
1,057 1,899
0
Killed
In a carTwo-thirds of car occupants killed or seriously injured on rural roads are car drivers; almost a quarter are front seat passengers
Car occupants killed or seriously injured on rural roads
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Drivers0%
Passengers
66%
Front Rear
22%
12%
DriversPassengersFront Rear
63%
24%
13%
DriversPassengersFront Rear
63%
24%
13%
Front
Rear
Passengers
Drivers
% of GB total
England 87%Wales 4%Scotland 9%
Killed Seriously injured
Total 20,220 205,032
2000 – 2005
View the full report at: www.iamtrust.org.uk
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
0%
43%
57% 64
%
36%
58%
42%
Serious Injuries
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
RuralRoads
0%UrbanRoads
RuralRoads
UrbanRoads
RuralRoads
UrbanRoads
62%
38%
76%
24%
75%
25%
Fatalities
RuralRoads
UrbanRoads
RuralRoads
UrbanRoads
RuralRoads
UrbanRoads
4 5
On a pedal cycleThe proportion of pedal cyclist casualties aged 5 to 11 years is twice as high in rural Wales and Scotland than in England
England Wales Scotland
12 - 16yrs15%
5 - 11yrs9%
17 - 24yrs11%
25 - 39yrs22%
40 - 59yrs29%
Over 60yrs14%
Over 60yrs8%
5 - 11yrs15%
12 - 16yrs21%
17 - 24yrs11%25 - 39yrs
22%
40 - 59yrs23%
Over 60yrs11%
5 - 11yrs18%
12 - 16yrs15%
17 - 24yrs7%
25 - 39yrs21%
40 - 59yrs26%
Age A third of fatal and serious injury casualties on rural roads are in cars driven by young drivers, twice as many as in cars with a driver over the age of 60
England Wales Scotland
17 - 25yrs33%
26 - 39yrs28%
40 - 59yrs24%
Over 60yrs15%
Over 60yrs15%
17 - 25yrs36%
26 - 39yrs24%
40 - 59yrs24%
17 - 25yrs31%
26 - 39yrs27%
40 - 59yrs27%
Over 60yrs14%
Three-quarters of rural motorcyclist fatalities and serious injuries are riders aged between �5 and 59
England Wales Scotland
12 - 16yrs5%
17 - 24yrs20%
25 - 39yrs43%
40 - 59yrs29%
Over 60yrs3%
12 - 16yrs3%
17 - 24yrs13%
25 - 39yrs47%
40 - 59yrs32%
Over 60yrs4%
12 - 16yrs3%
17 - 24yrs14%
25 - 39yrs49%
40 - 59yrs32%
Over 60yrs3%
Cars driven by younger drivers that are involved in rural fatal and serious injury crashes are more likely to have three or more car-occupant casualties than any other age group
17-25 yrs
26-39 yrs
40-59 yrs
60-69 yrs
70+ yrs
5%
10%
15%
20%
0%
17%
11%
9% 8%
5%
19%
12%
10%
7% 7%
17%
12%
10%
7% 6%
Dri
vers
in K
SI a
ccid
ents
wit
h 3
or m
ore
casu
alti
es in
car
On a motorcycleRiders/passengers on more powerful motorcycles are the biggest group of rural road biker deaths and serious injuries
England
Up to 50cc7%
Over 125cc80%
51-125cc13%
Wales
Up to 50cc3%
51-125cc10%
Over 125cc87%
Scotland
Up to 50cc3%
Over 125cc85%
51-125cc12%
On foot There are few pedestrian crossings and refuges on rural roads and so only a small proportion of fatal/serious injury accidents happen where they are available
England
Crossing at or near a pedestrian crossing
6%
Wales Scotland
Crossing elsewhere
64%
Walking/standing/playing on road
30%
Crossing at or near a pedestrian crossing
5%
Crossing elsewhere
66%
Walking/standing/playing on road
29%
Crossing at or near a pedestrian crossing
5%
Crossing elsewhere
71%
Walking/standing/playing on road
24%
Fewer pedestrians who follow the Highway Code advice to walk along the road facing traffic are killed or seriously injured (KSI) than those who walk with their backs to traffic
% o
f all
pede
stri
an K
SI c
asua
ltie
s
5%
10%
15%
20%
0%
11%
6%
9%
6%
9%
5%
Walking facing traffic
Walking with back to traffic
Men v womenAlmost three-quarters of car occupants killed or seriously injured on rural roads are in cars driven by male drivers; most motorcycle casualties are on bikes ridden by male riders
As pedestrians or cyclists, more men are killed or seriously injured in rural road crashes than women
Male Pedestrian
Male Cyclist
20%
40%
60%
80%
0%
100%Riders / passengers
– male rider
Car occupants - male driver
72%
72%
94%
KSI c
asua
ltie
s w
ith
mal
e dr
iver
/ ri
der
& K
SI m
ale
pede
stri
ans
and
cycl
ists
66%
85% 95
%
70%
66%
94%
96%
66%
82%
72%
94%
KSI = Killed or Seriously Injured
6 7
Days of the weekFriday, Saturday and Sunday are the worst days for rural road deaths and serious injuries
England Wales Scotland
Mon13%
Tues12%
Wed13%
Thur13%
Fri16%
Sat16%
Sun16%
Mon12%
Tues12%
Wed12%
Thur12%
Fri16%
Sat16%
Sun19%
Mon13%
Tues13%
Wed12%
Thur13%
Fri16%
Sat17%
Sun16%
Single carriageway roads – the most deadlyEight in 10 casualties killed or seriously injured on England’s rural roads are on single carriageway roads; an even greater proportion of deaths and serious injuries occur on these lower standard roads in Wales and Scotland
Motorway and dual carriageway
roads
Singlecarriageway
‘A’ roads
‘B’, ‘C’ and unclassified
All single carriageway roads
10%KS
I cra
shes
/ ro
ad t
ype
20%
40%
60%
80%
0%
100%
82%
41%
41%
18%
90%
55%
35%
90%
55%
35%
11%
Lower hierarchy roadsYounger drivers have a higher proportion of crashes on lower hierarchy roads (B, C and unclassified) than drivers in all other age groups
37%
32%
29%
25% 29
%41%
31%
29%
25%
25%20%
40%
60%
45%
17-25 yrs
26-39 yrs
40-59 yrs
60-69 yrs
70+ yrs
36%
35%
35%
36%
KSI c
rash
es /
ages
of d
rive
rs
0%
Speed limitsThree-quarters of fatal and serious injuries on rural roads in England, Wales and Scotland are on 60 or 70mph speed limit roads
0%
3%53
%15
%
3%50
%12
%11
%20%
40%
60%
8%
Motorways
‘A’ roads
‘B’ Roads
‘C’ & u/c roads
40%
11%
14%
80%
Total: 73%Total: 76%
8%
Total: 79%
% o
f KSI
cas
ualt
ies
60 or 70mphspeedlimits
Casualties in single and multi-vehicle crashesA third of fatal and serious injuries in rural road accidents are in single-vehicle crashes; half involve two vehicles
England Wales Scotland
Single Vehicle34%
Two Vehicles50%
Four Vehicles5%
Three Vehicles
11%Single Vehicle
38%
Two Vehicles49%
Three Vehicles
10%
Four Vehicles3%
Single Vehicle40%
Two Vehicles48%
Three Vehicles
9%
Four Vehicles3%
Weather, daylight, darknessTwo-thirds of fatal and serious-injury accidents on rural roads are during daylight hours, on dry roads and in good weather conditions; casualties in Scotland are more likely when the roads are wet than in England and Wales
20%
40%
60%
80%
0%
66%
62%
100%
33%
69%
59%
35%
69%
51%
42%
Daylight
Fine weather, dry road
Raining/wet road
KSI c
rash
es /
wea
ther
and
day
light
Darkness (unlit)23
%
23%
20%
Time of dayA third of rural road casualties are in accidents during the morning and evening peak hours, a third during the day between these peaks, and a third at night
England Wales Scotland
Peak hours7 - 10am
&4 - 7pm
35%
10am - 4pm32%
7pm - 7am33%
Peak hours7 - 10am
&4 - 7pm
33%
10am - 4pm36%
7pm - 7am31%
Peak hours7 - 10am
&4 - 7pm
35%
10am - 4pm34%
7pm - 7am31%
SeasonSummer is the peak season for rural road deaths and serious injuries, particularly during the holiday months of July and August
England Wales Scotland
Winter23%
Spring24%
Summer27%
Autumn26%
Winter22%
Spring24%
Summer30%
Autumn24%
Winter22%
Spring23%
Summer29%
Autumn26%
Car pre-crash manoeuvresA third of fatal and serious injuries to car occupants on rural roads occur when the car is being driven on a bend and around a half occur on straight roads
England Wales Scotland
Tues12%
On a bend31%
Going straight ahead50%
Overtaking5%
Turning right or left
7%
Other7%
On a bend38%
Going straight ahead44%
Overtaking6%
Turning right or left
5%
Other7%
On a bend36%
Going straight ahead49%
Overtaking4%
Turning right or left
6%
Other5%
Jean Hopkin BA (Honours)Independent research consultant
Jean Hopkin worked for more than 20 years as a researcher, project manager and team leader at the Transport Research Laboratory, specialising in social policy research in transport and road safety. Since 1995 she has worked as an independent research consultant on a wide range of public sector projects at local, national and EU level. More recently she has also returned to TRL on a part time basis, while at the same time maintaining her independent consultancy role.
Her road safety research has included work on under reporting of road accidents, a national hospital based recording system for road casualties, research into the costs and consequences of road accidents and valuation of accident and casualties. She also worked extensively with road safety practitioners across the UK to develop Vocational Qualifications for professionals in road safety and for all transport professionals.
Jean Hopkin has a degree in Geography, and is married with two teenage children.
Casualties at night and overnightHalf of the fatal and serious-injury crashes on rural roads that involve younger drivers occur in the evening and overnight (7pm to 7am) compared with a third for drivers in the �6 to �9-year-old age group
Motorcycle pre-crash manoeuvresThe proportion of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured when overtaking another moving vehicle on rural roads is twice as high as for car occupants
England Wales Scotland
Overtaking11%
Turning right or left
3%
Other7%
Going straight ahead46%
On a bend33%
Overtaking11%
Turning right or left
2%
Other4%
Going straight ahead36%
On a bend47%
Overtaking10%
Turning right or left
2%
Other4%
Going straight ahead45%
On a bend39%
The four main crash typesThree-quarters of all fatal and serious-injury accidents on rural roads can be grouped into four types
England Wales Scotland
Pedestrian/cyclist13%
At junction30%
Running off the road
20%
Head-on9%
Other28%
Pedestrian/cyclist15%
At junction27%
Running off the road
20%
Head-on12%
Other26%
Pedestrian/cyclist15%
At junction24%
Running off the road
24%
Head-on12%
Other25%
Cars running off the roadFour in 10 car occupant casualties on rural roads are in cars that leave the road and hit a roadside object; trees and ditches are significant rural roadside hazards
5%KSI i
n ca
rs r
unni
ng o
ff t
he r
oad
20%
40%
60%
80%
0%
100%
39%
12%
9%
40%
3%
38%
9% 5%
% of all car occupant casualties
Run into a Ditch
Hit a Tree47
%30
%24
%16
% 8%
45%
33%
22%
14% 9%
48%
17-25 yrs
26-39 yrs
40-59 yrs
60-69 yrs
70+ yrs
34%
27%
19% 11
%
KSI c
rash
es a
t ni
ght
/ age
s of
dri
vers
20%
40%
60%
80%
0%
100%
Research by Jean Hopkin
Summary report by Bert Morris
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motoring trust
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View the full report at: www.iamtrust.org.uk