New figures reveal that overall road casualties in South Lanarkshire are at an all-time low.
At the council’s road safety forum (RSF) this week, a report detailing road accident casualty statistics for 2021 showed a decline in all areas, and councillors welcomed the improvements.
Cambuslang West councillor, Margaret Walker, called the findings in the report "really interesting" and welcomed the figures as "really are encouraging".
Four categories were outlined, those being: fatal casualties, serious casualties, child fatal casualties and slight casualties.
Each category either saw a decrease or remained the same – meaning that the total number of road casualties is the lowest figures recorded.
Clydesdale North councillor and chair of the RSF, Julia Marrs, said: “We all understood that 2020 was an unusual year and that did explain why the numbers were lower than in 2019.
“But I think we can be pleased that despite further disruption in 2021 the numbers are similar, whilst any fatality or injury should be absolutely avoided. I think that we can be pleased that certainly remained the same or lower in many cases.”
During 2021, there were a total of seven fatal casualties, which was a decrease of three when compared to 2020 – representing the lowest figure in this category in the last four years.
Fatal casualty numbers have been erratic and do not follow any specific trend within recent years. The lowest recorded figure was in 2015 with a total of five casualties reported compared to a high of 18 in 2016.
Serious casualties were reported at 74, representing a decrease of 12 when compared to 2020.
Child serious casualties in 2021 remained the same to the previous year with a total of eight casualties.
There was a significant decrease in slight casualties between 2021 and 2020 with a reduction of 71 to 150, and this represented the lowest recorded figure.
The overall total of casualties during 2021 represents the lowest figures recorded in South Lanarkshire.
Councillor Robert Brown for Rutherglen South questioned if the new figures will be used to reduce further casualties.
He said: “These figures are obviously, in the context, really excellent figures. I take your point that it’s against the background of a known reduction in 2021, there’s a lot of useful information particularly the reasons for the accidents.
“I wondered what use can be made of the statistics to anticipate that certain accidents require further action. It is a very useful report, but it would be even more useful if we could do something with it.”
Targets and locations of areas with significant accidents will be monitored, the council will also liaise with the police and the fire rescue service to review dangerous roads and trends to try to treat the issues.
The council and its partners are required to address a wide range of issues including vulnerable road users, the road environment and road user behaviour to effectively reduce road casualties in the area.
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