ROAD DEATHS ON THE RISE
QUIETER LOCKDOWN ROADS MAY HAVE ENCOURAGED DRIVERS TO SPEED, SAY TRANSPORT EXPERTS
THE number of deaths on Greater Manchester’s roads hit a five-year high last year - and the region’s transport experts believe it’s because the lockdowns’ quiet roads meant people could drive faster.
From 2019 to 2020, amid the travel restrictions of the pandemic, it’s estimated that the number of miles travelled by drivers dropped by around 21 per cent.
Despite this, and although this resulted in a 25pc plummet (from 683 to 512) in serious traffic accidents overall, there was a 6pc increase in road deaths over the same period, up to 67 from 63 in 2019.
That is the highest number of deaths from car crashes in Greater Manchester since 2016.
A report on Greater Manchester’s plans to improve road safety says that the decrease in traffic and trip levels in Greater Manchester during 2020 ‘allowed for more free-flowing traffic, which in turn increased the percentage of vehicles exceeding the speed limit.’
The report reads: “The correlation between trip levels and speed is a factor in the slight increase in fatalities, with speed being a factor in increasing the risk of a collision and subsequently greater injury severity in the event of a collision.”
Data from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has shown that speeding over the limit kills or seriously injures 21pc of people involved in crashes in Greater Manchester.
Meanwhile, up to 40pc of car journeys in Greater Manchester have been recorded to be over the speed limit.
Of the crashes in Greater Manchester that are reported, 58 per cent involve a driver between the age of 17 and 35. And 80 pc involve a male driver.
TfGM, the region’s transport body which last month launched a campaign to highlight the risks of dangerous driving, says research suggests that young men do not think serious consequences are likely for driving and they will just get a speeding ticket.
In a report this month, the body also predicted that, as the economy continues to recover from the pandemic, traffic, and therefore road accident casualty figures, are likely to return to figures closer to prepandemic levels.
Concerns around road safety are also understood to be the biggest barrier to the uptake of active travel - cycling and walking.
An in-depth study dubbed the Fatal Collision Research Project has been launched in Greater Manchester in a bid to discover the root causes of fatal road traffic collisions.
Delivered by TfGM with GMP, a final report will be completed during Autumn and will feed into the Road Danger Reduction Action Plan, among Mayor Andy Burnham’s pledges in his manifesto.
Chaired by transport commissioner Chris Boardman, an advisory group is being set up to launch the action plan.
Earlier this month, Mr Boardman told the M.E.N. he had so far ‘failed to deliver’ on road safety.
He added: “People need to feel secure when it comes to active travel which is why we are serious about road danger reduction.”
Between 2010 and 2018 London reduced its three -year average road deaths by 30pc compared to just 18pc within Greater Manchester.
The GM 2040 Transport Strategy has a goal of reducing deaths and serious injuries on the streets to as close as possible to zero by 2040.
An associated target is for 50pc of all journeys in the region to be made by active travel or public transport by 2040.
A public consultation, centred around the ‘Bee Network’ of bus routes and cycle lanes, will also be launched.
A TfGM spokesman said: “Any road death is one too many. The recent figures for Greater Manchester follow what has been seen across the country.
“We continue to work with the ten Greater Manchester councils and other partners as part of the Safer Roads Greater Manchester to carry out analysis, campaigns and other activities to promote awareness of and improve road safety.
“Our recent ‘Limits Save Lives’ campaign was designed to make motorists think about how they drive by highlighting the consequences of dangerous acts including speeding and drink-driving, featuring the real-life impacts of losing a family member in a road traffic collision.”