Road Safety directly involves all road users in Wales, whether they are a resident, visitor or someone simply passing through the Principality’s road network. Roads can unfortunately sometimes prove to be a dangerous environment and for those involved in road traffic collisions, there are often devastating and tragic consequences. It is often traumatic for those fist on the scene, the emergency services and innocent bystanders - road traffic collisions affect us all. Road safety has improved considerably in recent years. However, in 2013, there were a total of 8,335 reported casualties of all severities. Within this total, 111 people were killed, 1,033 people were seriously injured and 7,191 people were slightly injured in road traffic collisions in Wales, clearly there’s more work to be done. Statistics show that poor driving and observation are the leading cause of collisions. The road environment has a much lower association with those killed and seriously injured (KSI) than driver behaviour, while vehicle defects appear to play little role at all. A disproportionate number of vulnerable road users, including young people and motorcyclists are KSI compared to other groups. Not only do these incidents cost lives and cause immeasurable human suffering, but they have a significant economic impact on our communities. They cost the Welsh economy millions of pounds per year in attendance, recovery and investigation; in legal proceedings and insurances; in repairs to roads and carriageways; in delays to other road users; and in lost economic output. The Department for Transport recently estimated that the value to society in preventing fatal road casualties in Great Britain was over £1.9m per fatality. Responding to the Welsh Government’s Road Safety Framework for Wales, this Welsh Fire and Rescue Services Road Safety Strategy provides a framework for the three Welsh FRS to communicate and implement their road safety commitments on a national and local level. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting