There were 3,599 road accident deaths in 1997 - about the same number as in 1996. There were 42,967 serious injuries, a fall of 3 per cent and 280,978 slight injuries, a rise of 3 per cent on 1996 levels. Total casualties rose by 2 per cent to 327,544. Pedestrian casualties fell by 2 per cent. Pedal cyclist casualties remained at the 1996 level, while casualties of two-wheeled motor vehicle users rose by 6 per cent. Car user casualties increased by 3 per cent. In 1987 the then Secretary of State adopted a target to reduce road casualties by one third from the baseline average of casualties in 1981-85 by the year 2000. Fatalities and serious injuries are now 36 per cent and 42 per cent respectively below their baseline average. Slight injuries are 16 per cent above, and all casualties are 2 per cent above the baseline average. Pedestrian, pedal cyclist and two wheeled motor cyclist casualties are all below their 1981-85 baseline average, by 26 per cent, 13 per cent, and 63 per cent respectively. Car user casualties are 47 per cent above, although fatalities are 18 per cent down and serious injuries 25 per cent down on their baseline average. Car user slight casualties, which now account for around 67 per cent of all slightly injured casualties, have increased by 66 per cent since the baseline average, which is higher than car traffic growth of 57 per cent. (A)
Abstract