A review and exploratory analysis of fatalities and serious injury collisions in relation to deprivation: implications for practise.

Examination of worldwide (industrialised nations) and British collision research suggests a number of key factors in relation to deprivation:

• Deprivation in the area in which collisions occur (area deprivation) and also in the residence of the blameworthy individuals (person deprivation) is related to increased fatalities and serious injury collisions.

• This relationship was demonstrated for pedestrians, motorcyclists and vehicle drivers.

• The relationship seems particularly strong between deprivation in the area in which collisions occur and increased pedestrian casualties, and between deprivation in the residence of the blameworthy individuals and increased motorist casualties, for males aged 25-54.

An exploratory analysis of Cornwall’s collision data was undertaken to examine whether the link between deprivation and collisions exists in more rural areas and how it may differ from industrialised urban findings. The findings showed:

• Area and person deprivation was linked to increased representation of pedestrian fatalities and serious injury collisions.

• Area and person deprivation was linked to increased representation of collisions involving drivers aged 26-54.

Research suggests several potential factors that may account for the link between deprivation and increased fatalities and serious injury collisions:

• Increased individual risk taking behaviour
• Lower levels of education
• Having a criminal record and higher levels of area crime
• Lower levels of income
• Lower levels of employment
• More dangerous living environments

In particular, deprivation in terms of individual factors – having a criminal record, low educational attainment, low income, being unemployed/unskilled, and engaging in risk-taking behaviours – have been linked to increased risk of fatalities and serious injury collisions for motorists.

Deprivation in the area in which the collision occurred – dangerous living environment and areas with high levels of crime and low levels of income – have been linked to increased risk of fatalities and serious injury collisions for pedestrians.

On the basis of this examination of the data a number of preliminary recommendations can be made:

• Due to the increased representation of collisions involving motorists aged 25-54 in deprived groups (compared to the least deprived groups in Cornwall) and the link with these collisions and risk taking behaviours, education, training and publicity (ETP) and enforcement activity concentrating on speeding, driver intoxication, seat-belt use and unlicensed/uninsured driving could be focused additionally on areas of deprivation and at drivers aged 25-54. From 2003-2010 there were 117 fatalities (45% of all fatalities) involving drivers aged 25-54 in Cornwall; in 33% of these fatalities speed was a factor; in 31% driver intoxication was a factor; and in 11% seatbelts not being worn was a factor.

• Due to the increased representation of pedestrian collisions in deprived groups compared to the least deprived groups in Cornwall, ETP and engineering could be additionally aimed at pedestrians in deprived areas. From 2003-2010 there were 40 fatalities (15% of all fatalities) involving a pedestrian in Cornwall; fatalities involving a pedestrian made up 45% of all the fatalities in the most deprived areas in Cornwall.

• The link between crime and dangerous driving suggests that it may be beneficial for road safety enforcement and ETP initiatives to work with police and youth offending teams in intelligence-led offender targeting. Due to Cornwall’s relatively low levels of area crime it may be more beneficial for interventions to focus on individuals who have committed crimes (rather than areas), with the emphasis being on prevention rather than reaction.

• The link between lower educational attainment and increased risk of being involved in a collision and the fact that only 53% of pupils in Cornwall achieved at least five A*-C grade GCSEs in 2010, suggests that ETP could focus on those under-performing at school/college.

• Due to Cornwall having small pockets of deprivation rather then large deprived areas, and the link between higher levels of unemployment/unskilled employment and increased fatalities, ETP and engineering initiatives could focus on routes between deprived areas.

• It is hard to assess a direct link between education/employment/income and collisions in Cornwall as this information is not recorded in collision statistics. It may be beneficial to record this information in the future so further analysis can take place.