A deterioration in policing on the roads in England and Wales – including a drop in funding, breathalyser tests and fines for mobile phone use and failing to wear seatbelts – is behind a rise in fatal incidents, a damning report has revealed.
Road safety was not prominent enough in the consciousness of many politicians, police leaders and the public, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) warned, adding this was reflected in the low priority some forces and police and crime commissioners gave to roads policing.
A steady decline in deaths caused by road traffic collisions was reversed around 2013. It has been rising slowly since, from about 1,541 deaths in 2013 to 1,624 in 2018.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/15/deterioration-policing-causing-rise-road-deaths-england-wales