BBC Program on Why Are Our Roads Getting Less Safe

[reohn2]

If roads were less safe surely the deaths would be going up exponentially, that's not the case though is it?

Cars have never been as safe... ...for their occupants!
Traffic Policing has never been so bad or undermanned,police numbers generally have been reduced by 20,000 and support staff reduced by 23,000 in the past 10 years.
But that doesn't count the police officers and support staff that have retired or left the service in the same time.

EDITED for typos

[Ron]

If roads were less safe surely the deaths would be going up exponentially, that's not the case though is it?

The number of KSIs is not a good measure of road safety.
The vastly reduced numbers of vulnerable road users is probably a better indication of the increased danger on our roads.

[Slowtwitch]

I've noticed the opposite in our town. Especially since the start of the pandemic, much more cycling traffic, especially in the town centre in market days.

[thirdcrank]

Re the extent of the use of uninsured vehicles, on the current thread about "cycleways" steady rider linked to the Red Tape Challenge - Road Transport (2011)

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... ummary.pdf

I found an interesting comment on p 12 under Insurance

.... Insurance evaders will be identified through the new Continuous Insurance Enforcement process. ....

If the numbers of uninsured drivers eg quoted by the MIB are correct, this isn't going well

[Jdsk]

Re the extent of the use of uninsured vehicles, on the current thread about "cycleways" steady rider linked to the Red Tape Challenge - Road Transport (2011)

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... ummary.pdf

I found an interesting comment on p 12 under Insurance

.... Insurance evaders will be identified through the new Continuous Insurance Enforcement process. ....

"Continuous Insurance Enforcement Information":
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... nformation

This publication was withdrawn on 17 November 2020
This page has been withdrawn because it’s out of date. Find the most up to date vehicles statistics.

and links to:

"Vehicles statistics":
https://www.gov.uk/government/collectio ... statistics

Jonathan

[thirdcrank]

I can't see anything in there about the extent of uninsured vehicle use. (The withdrawn publication was an old FOI response to somebody who seemed to be miffed to learn about the Continuous Insurance requirement - perhaps have been nicked?)

[pete75]

I can't see anything in there about the extent of uninsured vehicle use. (The withdrawn publication was an old FOI response to somebody who seemed to be miffed to learn about the Continuous Insurance requirement - perhaps have been nicked?)

Uninsured vehicle use neither increases nor decreases danger on the roads. A lot of it around here is caused by the ridiculous way UK car insurance is implemented.

[thirdcrank]

Re use of uninsured vehicles

There will be some where it's an innocent mistake, although for something so potentially important like paying third party compo, it is something which needs to be checked with great care.

In the cases where a driver knows their vehicle is uninsured, they must have an incentive to scarper eg after a crash or to escape from the police, although it's possible that an uninsured driver may drive extra carefully. It also seems likely that an uninsured vehicle may not be taxed and tested, or that the driver may be disqualified. These are all interlinked in that a disqualified driver cannot get insurance and (and I do know this is subject to exceptions) an uninsured vehicle cannot be taxed. To suggest that this doesn't affect danger seems a bit bold because I don't know of much which supports that either way.

Anyway, I didn't intentionally make the point which seems to be being attributed to me through a selective quote.

Re the extent of the use of uninsured vehicles, on the current thread about "cycleways" steady rider linked to the Red Tape Challenge - Road Transport (2011)

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... ummary.pdf

I found an interesting comment on p 12 under Insurance

".... Insurance evaders will be identified through the new Continuous Insurance Enforcement process. ...."

If the numbers of uninsured drivers eg quoted by the MIB are correct, this isn't going well

The bit I've now emphasised is the point I was trying to make.

[pete75]

Re use of uninsured vehicles

There will be some where it's an innocent mistake, although for something so potentially important like paying third party compo, it is something which needs to be checked with great care.

In the cases where a driver knows their vehicle is uninsured, they must have an incentive to scarper eg after a crash or to escape from the police, although it's possible that an uninsured driver may drive extra carefully. It also seems likely that an uninsured vehicle may not be taxed and tested, or that the driver may be disqualified. These are all interlinked in that a disqualified driver cannot get insurance and (and I do know this is subject to exceptions) an uninsured vehicle cannot be taxed. To suggest that this doesn't affect danger seems a bit bold because I don't know of much which supports that either way.

Anyway, I didn't intentionally make the point which seems to be being attributed to me through a selective quote.

Re the extent of the use of uninsured vehicles, on the current thread about "cycleways" steady rider linked to the Red Tape Challenge - Road Transport (2011)

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... ummary.pdf

I found an interesting comment on p 12 under Insurance

".... Insurance evaders will be identified through the new Continuous Insurance Enforcement process. ...."

If the numbers of uninsured drivers eg quoted by the MIB are correct, this isn't going well

The bit I've now emphasised is the point I was trying to make.

In these parts a lot of driving without insurance court cases seem to involve migrants from eastern Europe. Most assume that UK insurance operates in the same sensible way it does in their own and most other European countries.