Britain's Road Safety Strategy - 13/07/2009
Road safety is an issue that links and concerns everyone. Whatever our nationality or background, most of us have been affected at some stage in our lives by a road crash either directly, or perhaps through friends and family.
But we are also linked through our shared determination to reduce the appalling toll of deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
Indeed, we have clearly shown in recent years that pooling knowledge and resources, and sharing best practice is one of the most effective ways of improving safety on our road networks.
Two weeks ago, the British casualty statistics for 2008 were published.
Deaths on our roads fell by 14 per cent to 2,538 the largest percentage reduction in a single year since the Second World War while serious injuries fell by six per cent.
These latest statistics show we are continuing to make excellent progress towards our stated long-term goal of making Britain¿s roads the safest in the world.
They also mean that we have achieved our 2010 target on reducing deaths and serious injuries two years early.