The latest road casualty statistics show that, in 2022, 1,766 people died on UK roads (1,711 in Britain, 55 in Northern Ireland), a 10% increase on figures from the previous year (see Table 1) [1,2]. Brake’s analysis also found that in the same period, road deaths caused by drivers exceeding the speed limit rose by 20% (see Table 2) [3].
During Road Safety Week 2023, the charity is calling on fleets and other organisations that employ people who drive for work to help keep drivers and other road users safe, through robust policies and procedures to manage road risk, with a particular focus on speed.
It is well documented that driving for work is one of the most dangerous things that employers ask their staff to do, and around a third of road deaths (and a fifth of serious injuries) involve someone driving for work [4].
Analysis of government road casualty data by Brake reveals that road deaths in collisions involving light goods vehicles (LGVs), heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), and buses and coaches all increased between 2021 and 2022. In 2022, 214 people were killed in crashes involving LGVs, up 10% on 2021 figures; 220 people were killed in crashes involving HGVs, a 6% increase since 2021; and 45 people were killed in crashes involving buses or coaches, up 32% since 2021 [5].
People who walk and cycle continue to be particularly vulnerable to collisions involving work vehicles. In 2022, 42 pedestrians died after being hit by an LGV, 41 after being hit by an HGV, and 20 after being hit by a bus or coach. Also in 2022, 12 cyclists died after being hit by an LGV, 6 after being hit by an HGV, and 5 after being hit by a bus or coach [6].
More than 330 fleet organisations have signed up to take part in Road Safety Week 2023 by organising activities with their staff, sharing important road safety messages and posing the question: If five people die on UK roads every day, why do we still think it is ok to speed? From data captured at the point of registration, they have said they will reach almost a million people through their Road Safety Week campaigns and activities.
Fleet Friday, taking place on 24 November, will champion outstanding work across the fleet industry to manage road risk for drivers and other road users, and prevent crashes involving work vehicles. Brake’s interim CEO Ross Moorlock will be speaking at Fleet News at 10, where he will invite the wider fleet industry to join a conversation about the dangers of speeding and demonstrate their commitment to prioritising safety [7].
Here are some more examples of fleet activities taking place during Road Safety Week:
- Trackm8 will run its annual Road Safety Hero Award, inviting customers to nominate an outstanding driver. The winner will be announced on Fleet Friday.
- Cemex will send every one of its 2000+ employees a Road Safety Week wheelie bin sticker and share key safety messages throughout the week.
- Alltask will deliver a talk to its drivers about the risks associated with speed. They will also send information to drivers about speed scores taken from telematics in their vehicles.
- MIDA Civil Engineering Ltd will send road safety information directly to all its drivers via its bespoke app. All drivers will be required to read the information before carrying out vehicle checks.
Today, five people will be killed on our roads. And tomorrow, another five won’t make it home to their families. And so on, and so on, until we all say 'Enough!’ and start taking responsibility for each other’s safety on the road.
Ross Moorlock, interim CEO, Brake
Ross Moorlock, interim CEO at Brake, said:
“Road death is sudden. It's traumatic. It sends shockwaves across families, schools, workplaces and communities. This year, we have already supported more than 1500 people affected by road crashes through our National Road Victim Service.
“Today, five people will be killed on our roads. And tomorrow, another five won’t make it home to their families. And so on, and so on, until we all say 'Enough!’ and start taking responsibility for each other’s safety on the road.
“The speed we choose to drive at can mean the difference between life and death. Our speed dictates whether we can stop in time to avoid a crash, and the force of impact if we can't stop. This Road Safety Week, if you employ people who drive for work, I urge you to join the conversation and talk about speed. Please talk to as many people as you can, to find out why, when five people die on our roads every day, so many of us still choose to drive too fast.”
Road Safety Week 2023 is organised by Brake, sponsored by Arval UK, Autoglass and DHL Supply Chain, and supports the Department for Transport’s Think! campaign.
Ian Pearson, head of insurance at Arval UK, said:
“With Arval’s commitment to influencing and acting for driver safety, Road Safety Week 2023 conveys an important key message: ‘Speeding puts your life and the lives of other road users at risk.’
“We’ll be encouraging our employees, our customers and their drivers to get involved and raise awareness of the damage that speeding can cause. This week we’ll be sharing Brake’s social media posts and holding events throughout our offices – it all helps to remind drivers that speeding is simply never smart.”
Ed Colley, head of digital and marketing at Autoglass, said:
“At Autoglass®, we fit safety as standard. That’s why we are proud to be sponsoring Road Safety Week and doing what we can to help get people talking about the dangers of speeding. Although we want to fix vehicle glass as quickly and effectively as possible, we also understand the importance of responsible driving and avoiding excessive speeds once back on the road.”
Gavin Murdoch, managing director, transport, at DHL Supply Chain UK&I, said:
“DHL is proud to sponsor Road Safety Week again this year. By supporting Brake's campaign in 2023, DHL aims to amplify the impact of their efforts and further promote the message of road safety to all.”
Any organisation can register to take part in Road Safety Week and access free resources, ideas and activities to help them talk about speed with drivers, customers and suppliers. Register at www.brake.org.uk/RoadSafetyWeek.
Fleet organisations can find out more about supporting Brake at www.brake.org.uk or by emailing corporate@brake.org.uk. Fleet managers can sign up for free resources to help them manage road risk at www.globalfleetchampions.org.
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Data tables
| Table 1: Number of people killed or seriously injured on UK roads, 2021 and 2022, by region. Data taken from references 1 and 2. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Table 2: Number of people killed on roads in Britain, in crashes where speed was a contributory factor, 2021 and 2022. Data taken from reference 3. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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References
- Department for Transport (2023) Reported road casualties Great Britain, annual report: 2022 and supporting data sets.
- Police Service of Northern Ireland (2023) Fatal Casualty Figures 2022.
- Department for Transport (2023) Reported road casualties Great Britain RAS0704: Reported road collisions, casualties and vehicles where speed was a contributory factor by severity, Great Britain, 10 years up to 2022
- Ward, H., Christie, N. and Walton, B. (2020) Driving for work: A strategic review of risks associated with cars and light vans and implications for policy and practice
- Department for Transport (2023) Reported road casualties Great Britain RAS 0601: Casualties in reported collisions involving vehicles of different types, Great Britain, ten years up to 2022
- Ibid
- https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/tag/fleet-news-at-10
About Arval UK
Arval UK, part of the Arval Group, is a leading provider of sustainable mobility solutions including vehicle funding and fleet management. As a BNP Paribas Group company, with substantial buying power, Arval responsibly funds around 190,000 cars and vans in the UK at the end of August 2023. Focused on customer experience, Arval UK has specialist teams dedicated to supporting a broad range of customers including individuals and small businesses with a single vehicle, through to FTSE 100 companies with thousands. It provides a comprehensive range of sustainable products and services including vehicle funding, vehicle maintenance, energy management, accident management, breakdown service, short and medium term rental, insured lease vehicles, full outsourcing salary exchange and consultancy services. It is committed to increasing adoption of low and zero emission mobility for all.
About Autoglass®
Autoglass® is the UK's leading specialist for vehicle glass repair, replacement, and recalibration (VGRRR) services, with unrivalled expertise in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). With an extensive nationwide network of over 1,000 skilled technicians, we take pride in providing world-class service to motorists across the country. Autoglass® exists to make a difference with real care - by providing exceptional customer service at every touch point, being an ambassador for road safety, and a thought leader in the sector, we’ve become one of the UK’s most trusted service brands. Autoglass® partners with leading insurance, fleet, and lease companies, spanning a broad spectrum of industries, and our tailored glass repair, replacement, and recalibration services cater to the unique needs of each client, providing their customers with reliable and efficient experiences.
About DHL Supply Chain
DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfilment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 395,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.
DHL is part of DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 94 billion euros in 2022. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. DHL Group aims to achieve net-zero emissions logistics by 2050.