Anu Manda, Solicitor in our Serious Injury Team discusses the advances in technology and how the data collated by our motor vehicles could assist in targeting high risk areas for road traffic collisions.
These days, most cars are connected to the internet. This means they are transmitting data in real time which can be collected to provide insight into driving behaviours. Between April 2021 to March 2022 road safety charity, RoadPeace, has used this to collect information from vehicles on the road to estimate the number of speeding drivers on the road.
And now, amidst National Road Victim Month, RoadPeace has shared powerful data relating to the best and worst areas in the UK for speeding.
What does the data show?
The results are based upon data collected between April 2021 and March 2022, and has been collected by using vehicle data to calculate the average speeds and high-end speeds across the road network. These figures are then compared against the speed limit and traffic volume data, to estimate the number of speeding drivers on the road.
RoadPeace reports that the five most compliant counties are:
- North Yorkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Durham
- Central Scotland
- Lincolnshire
And the five least compliant counties are:
- Grampian, Scotland
- Strathclyde, Scotland
- London (metropolitan police areas)
- Merseyside
- Cleveland
Read the full article with all data by RoadPeace.
Why is this relevant?
RoadPeace, the national charity for road crash victims, provides information and support services to people bereaved or seriously injured in road crashes and engages in evidence-based policy and campaigning work to fight for justice for victims and reduce road danger.
Research shows that 7,245,833 people were reported injured and 81,315 people have been killed on British roads between the start of 1992 and the end of 2021 [view report]. This shocking statistic equates to 7 people losing their lives on the road every day.
This data may be a huge step towards preventative policing of speeds, rather than reactive. Police forces can use data such as this to understand where drivers are likely to speed, and to take preventative measures before collisions occur.
This also means charity organisations and initiatives can target areas where there is more speeding, in an effort to reduce speeding as a whole across Britain.
And, hopefully, it makes those of us reading the data stop and take a second to think about our own driving habits.
Anu Manda, Solicitor in Serious Injury, said:
We try to get involved as soon as possible so we can ensure our client’s home is suitable for them upon discharge from hospital and we can assist in accessing rehabilitation as soon as possible to facilitate the best recovery. We then continue to work with our clients and their families with the aim of achieving a settlement that will allow them to lead a good quality of life.
We also assist families of individuals who have sadly died as a result of a road traffic collision. We appreciate that no amount of money will turn back the clock, however we aim to relieve some of the financial strain that bereaved families experience when trying to cope with the death of a loved one.
It only takes a second for a heavy foot or an inpatient driver to result in serious injury or the loss of someone’s life. It’s just not worth the risk.
This blog was written by Anu Manda, Solicitor in the Hugh James Serious Injury Team who works with clients who have sustained traumatic brain injuries.
