Road traffic accidents involving personal injury, April 2008

81 people were killed in road traffic accidents from 1 January to 30 April this year, compared to 56 in the same period last year. Male car drivers accounted for nearly 50 per cent of the fatalities. Injury figures remained almost unchanged compared to the first four months of 2007.

Increase in pedestrian fatalities

14 of the 81 people who died in road traffic accidents from January to April this year were pedestrians, compared to five in the first four months of 2007. Three cyclists have been killed so far in 2008, two more than in the same period last year. The number of fatalities involving pedestrians or cyclists was also higher than the ten-year average for the period.

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 includes casualties where the degree of injury has not been specified. Around 28 per cent of the casualties reported so far in 2008 belonged to this category. Some people registered in this category may be uninjured, and figures are subject to change.

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-April
• Table 5 People killed or injured in road traffic accident, by degree of injury, sex and group of road user. January-April
• Table 6 People killed or injured in road traffic accidents, by degree of injury, gender and type of accident. January-April