Safer roads requested for children in Wales
Posted: July 24, 2013
Posted in: Pedestrian Injuries Road Traffic Accidents Wrongful & Accidental Death
A large group of campaigners are demanding safer routes for children in Wales to walk to school. With figures showing that one third of pedestrian casualties in road accidents in Wales were children; people argue that something has to change.
The latest Welsh Government’s statistics have revealed that 295 child pedestrians were injured or killed in road accidents, with one in four of them being children that were travelling to or from school. In 2012, 53 children were killed or seriously injured in a road accident, which is a 35% decrease on figures from 2011.
Tony Armstrong from the charity Living Streets said: “The significant reduction in the number of pedestrians killed or seriously injured in Wales is most welcome, but children are still accounting for over a third (34%) of all pedestrian casualties”.
Campaigners have urged ministers to provide safer walking routes for children, while the Welsh Government are still being prompted for a response.
Pedestrian casualties according to Welsh government statistics:
- 2012 saw the lowest level of pedestrians killed or seriously injured (203) since 1979
- Child pedestrian casualties make up around one third of all pedestrian casualties – a figure that has “fluctuated little” since 1979
- The risk is highest for young boys aged 8 to 11, and girls aged 12 to 15
- There were 242 child slight injures, providing a total of 296 child pedestrian casualties of all severities
If you have sustained an injury through a road traffic accident, and are looking to claim compensation, please contact us.
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