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Motoring news

Britain's roads 'sixth safest' in the world

19/06/2009

Britain has taken sixth place in a new chart of countries with the lowest road death rates.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists' (IAM) motoring facts report named Malta's roads as the safest, with 25 road deaths each year for every million inhabitants. The remaining positions in the top five are made up by the Netherlands, with 45 road deaths per million, Sweden (49), Switzerland (50) and Norway (52). Britain has 55 road deaths per million population.

The chart was compiled using road fatality figures from 2006.

The Russian Federation has the highest number of road deaths, with 242 per million population each year. However, the figure is based on data from 2004; the most recent available. Lithuania (223 deaths per million), Latvia (177), Estonia (152) and Greece (149) made up the remainder of the five countries with the most lethal roads.

According to the report, road deaths in Britain fell from 2,926 in 2006 to 2,714 in 2007, having steadily declined from 3,298 in 1997.

Commenting on the figures, Neil Greig, IAM director of policy and research, said: "Compared with the top five safest countries, we have a much denser road network, used by a disproportionately high number of cars."

However, he explained that as the number of road casualties gets smaller, it will become increasingly difficult to save a life.

"The challenge for the Government is to provide a safe and modern road network and for motorists to take more responsibility for their safety."

Road safety groups Brake and Roadpeace were not available for comment.