Road traffic accidents involving personal injury, March 2008

However, there are considerable fluctuations in the number of fatalities from month to month, and last years’s figures for March as well as the first quarter, were low compared to the average over the last ten years. 61 people have lost their lives and 2 512 have been injured on the roads so far this year. The corresponding figures for 2007 were 44 fatalities and 2 577 injuries.

Drivers predominate

33 drivers died in traffic accidents in the first quarter of 2008. The remaining victims included twelve passengers, eleven pedestrians, three cyclists, one mopedallist and one other road user.

Winter fatalities about average

In the period from November 2007 to March this year 98 people have been killed in road traffic accidents. The police recorded 102 fatalities the preceding winter, and the average of the last five winters was 101.

Police figures

The statistics are based on accidents reported to the police. Less severe accidents and injuries are often not reported to the police, and may therefore be underrepresented in the figures. The total number of injuries include casualties where the degree of injury has not been specified. Around 28 per cent of the casualties reported in March 2008 belonged to this category. Some people registered in this category may be uninjured, and figures are subject to change.

¹Corrected 08.05.2008.

Tables:

• Table 1 People killed or injured in road traffic accidents, by month
• Table 2 People killed or injured in road traffic accidents, by county
• Table 3 People killed or injured in road traffic accidents, by police force area
• Table 4 People killed or injured in road traffic accidents, by degree of injury, gender and age. January-March
• Table 5 People killed or injured in road traffic accident, by degree of injury, sex and group of road user. January-March
• Table 6 People killed or injured in road traffic accidents, by degree of injury, gender and type of accident. January-mars