Press Release

15 April 2005

The topic of this year's RoadPeace Annual Lecture is

'Road crime - a neglected social justice and public health challenge'

A free lecture to which all relevant professionals are being invited
Given by Professor Ian Roberts, a charismatic speaker
on 27 April 2005, 6 - 8 pm at City Hall, Chamber, Queen's Walk, London SE1

Professor Ian Roberts trained as a paediatrician in the UK, then epidemiology at universities in New Zealand and Canada. His research interests include the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of injury, with the aim of providing rigorous research evidence on which to base intervention strategies.

He is Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and co-ordinating editor of the Cochrane Injuries Group. He is Associate Editor 'Injury Prevention', an International Medical Journal. He is Head of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Injury & Violence Prevention at the LSHTM.

In his lecture he will argue that transport links together several of the most important health, social and political issues facing the world today, and will explain why the second major superpower - the global public - must take action now.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

• journalists
  
• central and local government officials
  
• academics and policymakers
  
  • police officers
    
  • criminal and civil lawyers
    
  • coroners, magistrates, judges
    
  • insurance company representatives
    
  • trade union representatives
    
  • road safety and transport professionals
    
  • health professionals
    
  • emergency staff
    
  • bereavement and other counsellors
    
  • social workers and probation staff
    
  • charities/voluntary organisations
    
  • students and researchers
    

RSVP tel 020 8838 5102, fax 020 8838 5103 info@roadpeace.org

Contacts: RoadPeace office 020 8838 5102 Rita Taylor 01963 359 044
Brigitte Chaudhry 020 8964 1800 Zoe Stow 01491 642 857

Notes to editors:

Social crime

1. Although 4 times more people killed on road than murdered, not police priority. Speeding kills more than guns and knives but speeding not treated as other social diseases such as racism or domestic violence.
   
2. Safety camera: repeated death and injury required before they can even be considered (and then can only be used as last resort)
   
3. True scale is under-estimated. Although DfT includes estimate of total damage only crashes, no adjustment is made for the injury crashes not reported to police. TfL has researched this problem and estimates one-third of serious injuries are not included in official statistics. Home Office is well aware of the problem of under-reporting and its estimate of cost of crime includes adjustment factors for under-reporting. British Crime Survey could cover road crashes but has never done so.
   
4. Crime Recording Information Systems: Police monitor 40 crimes-these are on the internet for each force-includes pickpocketing, cycle theft but not road death and injury or speeding/motoring offences. These statistics are reviewed at regular police community consultative group meetings. Mention of road traffic injury/death is rare.
   
5. No priority given to monitoring legal outcome of crashes. Not possible to even know how many drivers charged or convicted in fatal crashes. No minimum standards in collision investigation.
   

Neglected Public health:

1. Department of Health: No one working full time on road safety despite it being leading cause of death to those under age of 40 in the UK.
   
2. No medical related recommendation in Govt's Road Safety Strategy (research shows how much of reduction in deaths due to medical advancements)
   
3. HO Road death and injury working group - never had DOH representative although DOH invited (CPS, DfT attended but not DOH).
   
4. Road death only cause of death limited to 30 day definition.
   
5. Under-reporting tolerated due to lack of priority by DOH in collating/estimating road traffic injuries
   
6. Urban speed limit allows 50% chance of death for pedestrians hit - worse in reality with such minimal enforcement of speed limits.
   

War on the Roads: casualty statistics

In London

1. 300 lives lost every year
   
2. 2 in every 5 deaths is a pedestrian
   
3. One child is killed every two weeks
   
4. Motorcycle fatalities are increasing
   
5. Target is 40% reduction in KSI
   

In the UK

1. 10 people are killed every day
   
2. Most victims are young men
   
3. Road crashes are the leading cause of death/disability for those under 40.
   
4. Poor children are five times more likely to be killed or injured than better off children
   
5. There is a 1 in 200 chance of dying in a road crash
   
6. Pedestrians and cyclists account for 1 in 3 road deaths
   
7. Half of all 'accidental child deaths' occur on the road
   
8. A 20 mph limit in residential areas would reduce child road deaths and serious injuries by 67%!
   
9. Over half of road safety expenditure is for hospital treatment of casualties
   

In Europe

1. 40,000 road deaths occur each year (15 EUC)
   
2. Road crashes are leading cause of death and hospital admission for those under the age of 45.
   
3. 25% of bereaved parents remain suicidal after 3 years
   

Across the World

1. Over 1 million road deaths each year
   
2. Over 10 million people permanently disabled
   
3. Over 3000 killed EVERY day - equivalent to a daily 9/11 tragedy
   
4. 70% of road deaths occur to those under 45 years old.
   
5. Road traffic injury is second leading cause of ill health and premature death of young men (15-44 years), after HIV/AIDS.
   
6. For every road death, 4 people are permanently disabled, 30 require emergency room treatment and 10 are hospitalised
   

Ends