Organisation: North West Public Health Observatory
Date uploaded: 22nd February 2011
Date published/launched: January 2010
This report presents comprehensive data on road traffic collisions and casualties in the North West.
For the first time, the report brings together data from five sources: (STATS19 [police incident information], the North West Ambulance Service, accident and emergency attendances, hospital admissions and mortality data) to describe the current picture of road traffic collisions and casualties arising from these incidents across the North West and within local areas, for people of all ages and where possible for children.
Although road traffic casualties have decreased over the short and long term, the North West still has a significantly higher overall casualty rate than the England average, with rates for killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties and slightly injured casualties being higher than the equivalent rates for England. This remains a key public health issue for the region.
There are many interventions that have had, and will continue to have, an impact on reducing road traffic collisions and casualties. One intervention that has attracted considerable local and national debate is 20 miles per hour (mph) speed limits. A modelling exercise has been undertaken to estimate the potential for reducing the numbers of casualties on the North West’s roads if such limits were introduced, and the results are presented in the appendices.
The report presents compelling evidence for continuing action to reduce road traffic collisions and casualties in the North West. However, interventions to reduce road traffic collisions and casualties should be considered alongside other health improvement activity, such as increasing physical activity, reducing obesity through walking and cycling promotion, and encouraging community cohesion. The challenge is to reduce road traffic danger while improving population health and wellbeing.
For more information contact:
Ms Lynn Deacon
T: 0151 231 4346