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30/10/2003
Lowering speed restrictions could save thousands of lives
A reduction in the speed limit to 20mph in residential areas could cut child death and injury on the roads by two-thirds, the Health Development Agency has claimed today.
The agency said that if put into practice, the move would save around 13,000 children from death or injury on the roads each year.
Road injuries are responsible for 20% of all deaths of children in England. The HDA said that at 20mph, one in every 20 child pedestrians are killed but at 40mph this rises to 17 in 20.
In the report, 'Prevention and reduction of accidental injury in children and older people', the agency said that children from poorer social classes were at a disproportionately higher risk of accidental death and injury than children from richer groups.
Road accidents, the agency said, showed one of the worst differences in health inequality – whereby the death rate for pedestrian accidents was five times higher for children from the lowest social class compared to those from the highest social class.
Paul Streets, Chief Executive of the HDA, said: “It’s shocking that in 21st century England, children are more likely to die because of the social class they are born into. The difference in road injury rates between poor and rich children is a stark and unacceptable example of health inequality.
"We know what works - it’s time to use that knowledge and save young lives."
The need for 20mph speed restrictions in areas of higher pedestrian activity is supported by the findings of the Accidental Injury Task Force report to the Chief Medical Officer, which recommended they be introduced "as a priority".
(gmcg)
The agency said that if put into practice, the move would save around 13,000 children from death or injury on the roads each year.
Road injuries are responsible for 20% of all deaths of children in England. The HDA said that at 20mph, one in every 20 child pedestrians are killed but at 40mph this rises to 17 in 20.
In the report, 'Prevention and reduction of accidental injury in children and older people', the agency said that children from poorer social classes were at a disproportionately higher risk of accidental death and injury than children from richer groups.
Road accidents, the agency said, showed one of the worst differences in health inequality – whereby the death rate for pedestrian accidents was five times higher for children from the lowest social class compared to those from the highest social class.
Paul Streets, Chief Executive of the HDA, said: “It’s shocking that in 21st century England, children are more likely to die because of the social class they are born into. The difference in road injury rates between poor and rich children is a stark and unacceptable example of health inequality.
"We know what works - it’s time to use that knowledge and save young lives."
The need for 20mph speed restrictions in areas of higher pedestrian activity is supported by the findings of the Accidental Injury Task Force report to the Chief Medical Officer, which recommended they be introduced "as a priority".
(gmcg)
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