Road Traffic Accident Safety Still Major Issue on England's Roads

Only half of motorways reach road accident safety standard according to report

The majority of England’s roads are failing to reach the top safety rating, according to a report by the Road Safety Foundation – the UK arm of the European Road Assessment Programme. The study found that many stretches of motorways and major A-roads across the country do not have adequate protection for drivers who run off the road.

Road traffic accidents, according to the Road Safety Foundation, cost the economy around £18bn a year, either due to the costs of caring for the injured, or in the lost productivity for people unable to work after an accident. The report argues that the cost of improving the safety of many roads in England would be a lot less.

The survey looked at the design and construction of major roads across England, focussing on three particular criteria; the design of the roadside including hard-shoulders and run-off areas, the provision of safety measures in the centre of the road between the carriageways and lastly, the design of road junctions along the route. A star rating between 1 and 4 stars was given to each road based on how well it scored under the three criteria.

To achieve the highest rating of 4 stars, a road would have to have appropriate safety measures. These included crash barriers and protection around road signs and hazards at the roadside, a central reservation between traffic flowing in opposite directions and grade-separated routes or roundabouts at junctions.

The different classes of road scored differently in the study, with a greater percentage of motorways achieving the 4 star rating in the survey than dual carriageway A-roads. Single carriage A-roads fared the worst in the study – only 7% achieved the top rating and most of these were stretches of road with lower speed limits.

Claiming compensation for accidents on major roads

Britain’s motorway’s are amongst the safest in Europe, nevertheless, accidents can and do happen. Where you have been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, then you might well be entitled to make an accident claim from the insurance company of the other driver.

Camps Solicitors can take the strain out of making a compensation claim for a motorway or A-road accident. Our solicitors and road accident lawyers will negotiate on your behalf with insurance companies to get you the best possible compensation for your injuries and any losses you have suffered.