Experts Warn There Is Work To Be Done After Research Reveals Encouraging Progress

Legal experts at Irwin Mitchell have warned that efforts to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads must continue in earnest, despite new Government figures revealing that the number of fatalities between April and June fell 18 per cent compared to last year.

The Department for Transport’s provisional statistics revealed that 400 people were killed in reported road crashes in Britain over the three-month period analysed, while the number of serious and slight injuries also dropped.

However, the number of people killed or seriously injured in the year ending June 2012 was found to have increase slightly – by one per cent.

Irwin Mitchell acts for the families of victims killed on Britain's roads, as well as those left with serious life-changing injuries as a result of crashes.

Stephen Nye, a Partner and serious injury specialist at the national law firm, said: "These figures are a welcome sign, but it is clear from the increase seen in the 12 months to June 2012 that there is still plenty more to be done to make our roads safer.

"The increases in deaths related to children, pedestrians and motorcyclists are also specific concerns that need to be urgently addressed.

"It should be remembered that behind each of these deaths is a family and community left devastated by the loss of loved ones. This is about more than just statistics; this is a significant number of lives.

"We hope that this decrease will just be the beginning and that further cuts in the number of deaths and injuries will be seen in the coming months and years.

"It is vital that road safety campaigns are given the investment and support needed to ensure that this is the case. Lessons must be learned from the problems of the past which will ensure that road safety continues to improve in the future."