Worst car crash hotspots revealed as Gwent police log over 500 accidents
Over the past year, Wales has seen a large number of car accidents take place, many of which were unnecessary and led to serious casualties.
Figures obtained by Accident Claims Advice found that there have been over 500 road traffic collisions involving cars across Gwent Police’s area of remit in the past year.
Many deaths and serious injuries on the road are preventable tragedies, and yet, on average, five people die every day on the road in the UK, and 80 are seriously injured.
Traffic accidents
According to provisional data released by the Department for Transport (DfT), the UK experienced a 12% rise in reported road traffic accidents in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
Fatal accidents saw a 7% increase, while serious injuries climbed by 15%. Factors such as post-pandemic increases in road usage, adverse weather patterns, and distracted driving are cited as primary contributors to this alarming trend.
Road Traffic Accident Manager for JF Law, Tracey Chick, said: “Each road traffic incident represents a moment of distress and potential life-altering consequences for those involved.
“If you have been involved in an accident, your safety should be the immediate priority, before exchanging details with the other involved parties, and reporting the incident to the police if there are injuries or significant damage.”
Over the past year, Gwent Police have logged 571 collisions across their area of remit, providing a breakdown of the locations where the accidents occurred.
The most road traffic collisions occurred in Newport, with 160 accidents, followed by Caerphilly, which saw 154 accidents take place.
Several factors contribute to road accidents in the UK, some of which are preventable with more attention to safe driving practices.
Speeding
One of the major contributing factors to car crashes is speeding, as it is responsible for nearly one-third of all fatal collisions and sees the risk of severe accidents increase dramatically.
Another factor is distracted driving, as the use of mobile phones, even hands-free, significantly distracts drivers and is a growing cause of accidents. Studies suggest that a distracted driver is four times more likely to be involved in an accident.
Accident Claims Advice also obtained figures on casualties resulting from collisions logged by Gwent Police, as well as their severity, over the past year.
In total, there were 12 fatal casualties, 172 serious casualties and 387 slight casualties.
Tracey Chick said: “While it is important to many, driving has many dangers attached to it, including distractions, excessive speed and even adverse weather conditions, which can all turn a routine journey into a serious incident.
“Regarding eligibility to claim, it’s vital to understand that every case is unique. Generally, if you’ve suffered injury or damage due to the negligence of another driver, you may be eligible to pursue a claim for compensation.
“We urge all drivers to obey traffic laws and prioritise the safety of themselves and other road users, as a split-second decision can have lifelong consequences. Let’s all commit to making our roads safer.”
Accident Claims Advice provides expert claim and legal advice services for those who may have been involved in a road traffic accident.
This data and research was gathered by FOI requests to Gwent Police, available upon request. News Sources include Gov.UK, Brake, Veriforce CHAS, ROSPA, Bumper, National Claims
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All accidents are avoidable with defensive driving so everyone involved in an RTA should be made to retake their test.
In most collisions one party is evidently most responsible for the event. The other party is technically a “victim”. Therefore in those situations the perpetrator should be made to re test and the victim exempted unless they were in some way incapacitated and would need reassessment for capability. Passing the test is a relatively easy bit, embedding a more compliant and responsible attitude towards rules based driving proves far more difficult for some people.
Everyone involved, not just those deemed responsible.
That is not an appropriate suggestion. Some one went into the back of my car. My insurance premium was unaffected as the other driver took full responsibility. So why do I have to retake the test? I was stationary.
Because you weren’t aware of what was happening behind you. It’s within your gift to notice that the driver behind isn’t paying attention or seems distracted and to respond by slowing down or pulling over, and to keep a large enough gap when stationary in a dangerous area so you can pull out of the way if necessary. Lots of people drive for decades without being involved in an accident while others seem to have a bump every few months that’s “not their fault”. The difference is skill, not luck.
I did, but I was stopped at a roundabout. So, how am I at fault?
Being at fault and driving defensively and avoiding a situation altogether are two different things.
So your solution is stay at home.
No, an advanced driving course.
What about the re test?
I thought the “speeding” trope was put to bed and some of the biggest causes are inattention or inappropriate speed (say 30 in a 30 can be too fast). At least last time I looked recently (the info is available online)