Expert Welcomes Welsh Figures But Warns More Needs To Be Done

The fall seen in the number of serious injuries on roads in Wales needs to be built upon in the next few years, a road safety expert at Irwin Mitchell has demanded.

New figures have revealed that the lowest number of deaths and injuries on roads in the country in over 30 years was recorded in 2010.

A total of 95 people were killed, which marked a 24 per cent drop from 2009, while 998 people suffered serious injury as a result of collisions and other incidents. The latter figure marked a nine per cent drop from the previous 12 months.

Serious injury specialists at leading national law firm Irwin Mitchell provide advice and support to a number of people who have suffered devastating life-changing injuries on the roads.

Stephen Nye, a Partner and expert in the area, said it was vital that efforts to cut the number of injuries caused as a result of road traffic incidents must continue.

He explained: “While any fall in the number of people being hurt on the roads has to be welcomed, these figures cannot spell the end of efforts to spread the road safety message to motorists.

“The positive results of improvements in safety have been shown clearly here, but it is vital that this continues for many years to come. Nearly 1,000 people have been seriously injured on the roads and this figure is still just far too high.

“Our work has shown that victims seriously hurt in road collisions often never fully recover from their injuries, with many needing a lifetime of care and rehabilitation to get the most out of their lives.

“It is vital that authorities in Wales see these results as just the beginning of a concerted effort to keep road users safe from harm.”