Last summer was the safest on Wales’ roads since record began
Last summer was the safest on Wales’ roads since records began, according to new police statistics.
The latest police recorded collision stats, covering July – September 2024, show collisions on Welsh roads were at their lowest level for that quarter, including during the Covid pandemic.
The figures published today also provide the first year of statistics since the controversial default 20mph speed limit was introduced.
Killed
They show there were around 100 fewer people killed or seriously injured on roads with 20mph and 30mph road speed limits in the 12 month period after the introduction of the 20mph default speed limit, compared to the same period a year before.
The number of casualties on roads with 20 and 30mph road speed limits (combined) in 2024 between July and September was the lowest third quarter figures in Wales since records began.
During the 12-month period from quarter 4 in 2023 to quarter 3 2024 Q3 (after the introduction of the 20mph default speed limit), the number of casualties on 20 and 30mph roads (combined) is 28% lower than the same period a year before.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates said: “The data published today provides information for the first full year since the 20mph default speed limit was introduced.
“The picture continues to be encouraging with the number of collisions on our roads at their lowest level for this quarter. We know there is a way to go, and we’ve always said it will take a number of years to see the full impact of the policy but to see the figures for this quarter at their lowest level is positive.
“We continue to build on the consensus that where 20mph is the right speed it works well. We have listened to people on the policy, and we have empowered local authorities to make changes where it is safe to do so.”
‘Concern’
Responding to the latest figures, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure, Peter Fox MS, said: “While we welcome any decrease in road casualties, these figures don’t tell the whole story. Our concern remains the way the 20mph speed limit has been implemented.
“The Welsh Labour government’s default approach has created confusion and frustration for drivers and their current review must address these implementation issues and ensure a more sensible and effective approach.
“We continue to believe a targeted approach, focusing on sensitive areas like schools and hospitals, is the right way to improve road safety without unnecessarily penalising drivers on roads where 20mph is inappropriate. That is why we would scrap Labour’s default 20mph and introduce it where it is needed.”
The latest published statistics are available in full here.
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I wonder how much lower those figures could be if the police actually start enforcing compliance. My car has a speed limiter which I use when entering a 20mph zone and I have lost count count of the selfish so-and-sos who have overtaken me.
So reducing speed limits saves lives – who’d have think it. Wonder what the barmy former welsh tory leader RT Davies has got to say about this?
If you look at the dataset and graphs in the link which shows the trend from 2010 to 2024 we see that this decline is casualties and severity is inline with the decline is casualties and severity for over the previous decade. It shows no specific effect by the introduction of the 20mph default speed limit. Just indicates the continued refinement of motor vehicle design.
SUVs are not a refinement.
Congrats for putting the source, you should definitely do this more.
However it clearly shows less accidents during covid so last summer was not the safest since records began in2010.