Britain Should Bring Roads In Line With Air, Rail And Sea For Accident Probes, Group Claims

Britain should have a road crash investigation body similar to those in place for air, rail and sea, a safety group has said.

The Transport Safety Commission (TSC) has called for accident probe services that bring highways in line with public transport methods.

More than 120 years after the first cars were introduced to UK roads, the body outlined how there is no single organisation with responsibility for investigating collisions.

A report by the TSC has called for improved arrangements for investigation to separate learning from prosecution, the creation of an advisory body for road safety, improvement of resources, and improvements to support for victims.

The group also called on the HSE and employers to recognise that work-related road casualties are their responsibility.

Inquiry co-chair Professor Stephen Glaister said: "Perhaps there is a feeling that road users are in charge of their own destiny and hence their lives are not as important.

"Yet many casualties are innocent parties and we should be protecting them as carefully as anyone who pays a rail or air fare.

"That all our recommendations refer to road rather than aviation and rail safety is a sad indictment of a continued collective failure to tackle an appalling situation that somehow is seen as acceptable by those in authority."

Expert Opinion

Our work means we see numerous instances when people have suffered life-changing injuries as a result of road crashes, with such problems often meaning they are unable to return to work or need long-term rehabilitation or care to get the best from the life. <br/> <br/>"Any step towards making the roads safer is a positive one, as simply too many people are killed or seriously injured on routes across the UK. <br/> <br/>"The importance of working to improve road safety should not be underestimated and the recommendations for the creation of this body should be carefully examined and considered." Colin Ettinger - Consultant