Scottish Government

ROAD ACCIDENTS SCOTLAND 2001

Introduction

This publication presents statistics of the numbers of injury road accidents (that is, road accidents in which one or more people are injured or killed) which were recorded by the police in Scotland. Annex B describes the method of collection of the statistics. Each accident is classified according to the severity of the injury to the most seriously injured casualty who was involved in the accident.

Following this Introduction, this publication has several parts. The Summary section shows the main trends in the numbers of road accidents and casualties up to the most recent year for which statistics are available. The Commentary includes descriptions of the trends in the numbers of road accidents and casualties, more detailed analyses (of the numbers of accidents, of the statistics about motorists, and of the numbers of casualties) and comparisons of the Scottish figures with some other countries' numbers. The next part provides information on the Casualty Reduction Targets for 2010. This is followed by the Charts and Statistical Tables. There are a number of Annexes, such as a calendar of events affecting road traffic, notes on the collection of road accident statistics (including examples of the kinds of forms that might be used), the definitions of various terms, and information about the changes to the trunk road network. There is also an Index, and information about some other Scottish Executive Transport Statistics publications.

The status of the statistics

Most of the data used to produce the statistics in this publication were extracted from the Road Accidents statistical database early in August 2002. However, the figures for some years that were used in some of the tables were extracted later, in September or October 2002. There are some minor differences between the numbers in these tables and the figures which appear in the majority of the tables, due to changes to the database in the intervening period following some late additions and amendments. Similarly, the statistics given here for the latest year may differ slightly from those published elsewhere (such as the provisional figures which appeared in the statistical bulletin " Key Road Accident Statistics") because they were extracted on a different date, and the database may have changed between the two dates (e.g.) due to late returns, or due to late corrections being made to returns which had been received earlier. For similar reasons, the statistics given in this publication for earlier years may differ slightly from the previously-published figures for those years.

The information held in the Scottish Executive's Road Accident Statistics database was collected by the police following each accident, and subsequently reported to the Executive. The statistics produced from the Scottish Executive's database may differ from the figures which the relevant local authorities would provide, because the statistical data held by the Scottish Executive do not take account of any changes or corrections that local authorities may have made, for use at local level, to their copies of the statistical information. For example, local authorities may have corrected, in their copies of the data, the information about the location of some accidents, based upon their knowledge of the roads and areas concerned. In some cases, they may have concluded that an accident occurred in a different local authority area from that which was shown in the statistical return which was made to the Scottish Executive. Therefore, the numbers of accidents and casualties published here for some local authorities may differ from the figures that the local authorities themselves would quote.

The years covered in the tables

Some tables have figures for several individual years (e.g. for each year from 1997 to 2001) so that any trends in the key statistics can be seen. However, the more detailed tables provide figures only in the form of 5-year annual averages (e.g. for the years 1997-2001), and do not give figures for the latest single year. If readers need versions of the detailed tables for single years, they can be provided on request (a charge may be made).

Some of the detailed tables in some earlier editions of the publication have not been repeated since. A list of statistics covered in more detail in previous editions can be found at the end of the Index. It is unlikely that such tables will appear in subsequent editions. Readers may request updated versions of such tables (for which a charge may be made).

Road accident casualty reduction targets for the year 2010: comparisons with the annual averages for 1994-98

In many of the tables, the latest figures are compared with the annual averages for 1994-98. This is done because, in March 2000, the UK Government, the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales announced a new national road safety strategy and casualty reduction targets for 2010. These new targets were introduced to focus on achieving a further substantial improvement in road safety over the next ten years, with particular emphasis on child casualties. The new targets, which are given in the document "Tomorrow's roads - safer for everyone", are based on the annual average casualty levels over the period 1994 to 1998. By 2010 it is hoped that there will be, compared with the average for 1994-98:

• a 40% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents.
• a 50% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured; and
• a 10% reduction in the slight casualty rate, expressed as the number of people slightly injured per 100 million vehicle kilometres.

Annual averages for 1994-98 are therefore included in many tables, so that readers can see how the latest figures compare with the "baselines" for these targets.

In addition, the section on the Casualty Reduction Targets for 2010 (which appears after the Commentary) provides statistics related to these targets, plus a selection of key points. It contains charts and tables for each of the three targets showing the main trends in casualty numbers in comparison to the 1994-98 baseline averages, and to the numbers that might be expected in each year if the targets were to be achieved by means of a constant percentage reduction in each year.

The previous casualty reduction target, which was adopted by the Government in 1987, was to reduce the number of road casualties by one third from the 1981-85 average level by the year 2000. Tables in ' Road Accidents Scotland 2000' showed for which types of casualty this target was achieved.

Estimates of the total volume of road traffic

Some tables include figures for the total volume of traffic, or accident rates calculated using such figures. The traffic figures were provided by the Department for Transport, which produces estimates of the total volume of road traffic for Scotland and for other parts of Great Britain. Information about these estimates is given in Chapter 6 of 'Scottish Transport Statistics'. It should be noted that these figures will be revised when DfT has improved its method of estimating the volume of road traffic.

Population estimates

Some tables include figures for the population of various ages, or casualty rates calculated using such figures. In general, the population estimates used for each year are the most recent that were available at the time that the data for the tables were assembled. The population estimates used for 2001 are those published by the General Register Office for Scotland in September 2002, which take account of the results of the 2001 Census of Population. However, it should be noted that the population estimates used for the year 2000 were those which GRO(S) published in May 2001, not the provisional revised estimates for 2000 which GRO(S) published in September 2002. Similarly, no account has been taken of any recent revisions to the population estimates for earlier years.

Main changes in this edition

This publication incorporates some significant changes from the previous edition. This is due in part to the previous casualty reduction target year of 2000 now being passed. Therefore, this edition does not include any monitoring and reporting against the 2000 targets, or their "baseline" figures (the annual averages for 1981-85 which appeared in the previous edition). Instead, many tables now include figures for the 1994-98 baseline period for the targets for 2010.

As extensive changes had to be made for this edition, the Scottish Executive took the opportunity to consult members of the Liaison Group on Road Accidents Statistics and other users of the publication about the proposed changes, and to ask them if there were any other changes that they would like made for this edition ( see Annex B).

The main changes from the previous edition are listed below. A full list of all the tables' contents is given in the 'List of tables in the Statistical Tables section'.

Changes which affect more than one table

• In general, tables covering a run of years will move forward one year (e.g. in general, a table which showed 1996 to 2000 will now show 1997 to 2001).
• Tables which included 1981-85 averages will now provide 1994-98 averages.
• The "latest five years" average (which is usually for 1997-2001) has been added to many tables, where it is appropriate.
• Figures for more years have been included in some tables. For example, table 3 used to show the latest three years plus the 1981-85 averages. It now provides figures for the latest five years plus the 1994-98 averages and the latest five years' averages.

Changes to specific tables or sections

• The Summary table for 2001 now includes the number of child casualties (all severities) and a split of all the overall totals by built up and non-built up roads.
• The Commentary no longer discusses the figures in relation to the casualty reduction targets, because progress towards the 2010 targets is covered in a separate section.
• Tables 4 and 36 (formerly table 40) have been simplified. As they now show figures for individual years only for 1997 onwards, they can be based wholly on the new trunk road network (i.e. the network which applied from 1 April 1996).
• Table 5 now provides separate figures for Trunk A roads and Local Authority A roads.
• Tables 7 and 8 have been combined.
• The former tables 10, 16 and 21 have been dropped.
• Table 24 (formerly table 28) no longer includes casualty rates per thousand of the population. This is because five year average casualty rates for more detailed age groups are given in table 32.
• Table 31 (formerly table 35) now gives a male/female breakdown of casualty rates per thousand population.
• Tables 32 and 34 (formerly tables 36 and 38) now show overall child and adult casualty rates.
• Annex B and Annex C have been reorganised. They have also been expanded, to include a more sophisticated example of the kind of form which could be used to collect the data, information about the arrangements for consulting users and providers of the statistics, and information about the reviews of the "Stats 19" specification and the road accidents statistics publications.

A comparison of the table numbers in this and the previous editions appears on the next page.