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| Fears over road casualty figures | Fears over road casualty figures |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Government figures for road casualties, which have shown a slight fall, may be flawed, experts have warned. | Government figures for road casualties, which have shown a slight fall, may be flawed, experts have warned. |
| Road deaths fell to 3,201 in 2005, a drop of 1%, while serious injuries were 7% lower at 29,000. | Road deaths fell to 3,201 in 2005, a drop of 1%, while serious injuries were 7% lower at 29,000. |
| But the Statistics Commission is concerned police figures, on which government statistics are based, tend to be lower than hospital figures. | But the Statistics Commission is concerned police figures, on which government statistics are based, tend to be lower than hospital figures. |
| The Department for Transport said it was aware of "under-reporting" and that further research will be done. | The Department for Transport said it was aware of "under-reporting" and that further research will be done. |
| It said it has already produced two reports on the subject. | It said it has already produced two reports on the subject. |
| For the first time, the DfT revealed details of contributory factors to accidents. Speeding, or driving within the limits but too fast for the conditions, were a factor in 15% of all accidents, and in 26% of fatal accidents. | |
| But failure to look properly was the most common contributory factor, featuring in 32% of all accidents. Of the six most stated factors, five were some form of mistake by the motorist. | |
| For fatal accidents, the most common factor was lossof control, featuring in 35% of all reports. | |
| There is an apparent divergence of trends between police and hospital statistics that may indicate that accident rates are not falling by as much as the police statistics suggest The Statistics Commission | There is an apparent divergence of trends between police and hospital statistics that may indicate that accident rates are not falling by as much as the police statistics suggest The Statistics Commission |
| All of the road casualty figures were defended by officials. A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesman added: "We have always used police figures and they do provide a straight year-on-year comparison." | |
| Karen Dunnell, at the Office for National Statistics, has written to the DfT expressing concern. | Karen Dunnell, at the Office for National Statistics, has written to the DfT expressing concern. |
| The Statistics Commission, in a briefing note, said: "There is an apparent divergence of trends between police and hospital statistics that may indicate that accident rates are not falling by as much as the police statistics suggest." | The Statistics Commission, in a briefing note, said: "There is an apparent divergence of trends between police and hospital statistics that may indicate that accident rates are not falling by as much as the police statistics suggest." |
| The government has set a target of reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on the nation's roads by 40% by 2010 compared with the average figures over the period 1994/98. | The government has set a target of reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on the nation's roads by 40% by 2010 compared with the average figures over the period 1994/98. |
| The reduction target for children is 50%. | The reduction target for children is 50%. |
| The DfT is well on the way to achieving the 40% target, according to the Statistics Commission. | The DfT is well on the way to achieving the 40% target, according to the Statistics Commission. |
| However, it added that on the basis of hospital statistics, "the DfT would not be on track to achieve the target". | However, it added that on the basis of hospital statistics, "the DfT would not be on track to achieve the target". |