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Traffic accidents

Brake Calls for 20mph Default Speed Limits Near Schools Amid Rising Child Road Injuries

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Rising concern over the safety of children traveling to and from school has prompted the road safety charity, Brake, to urge the government to lower default speed limits on roads in built-up and residential areas where children walk or wheel to school. With excess speed being a factor in a quarter of fatal road crashes, Brake is pushing for the implementation of 20mph speed limits to mitigate the risk of injury or death. A recent survey by Brake found that nearly 80% of parents and carers want 20mph speed limits on roads near their homes and children's schools, while 85% want the government to take more action to make their community's roads safer.

Key Takeaways:

  • Brake's letter to Future Roads Minister Lillian Greenwood MP calls for a 20mph default speed limit on roads in built-up and residential areas as part of the Road Safety Strategy.
  • 80% of parents and carers surveyed by Brake want 20mph speed limits on roads near their homes and children's schools.
  • 85% of those surveyed believe the government should do more to make their community's roads safer.
  • More than half (55%) of parents and carers want their primary school children to walk or wheel to school more often, but are deterred by busy roads (40%), fast traffic (28%), and lack of suitable crossings (14%).
  • Official figures show that in 2023, 6,069 children aged 4-11 were harmed on UK roads, with 28 fatalities and 1,077 serious injuries.
  • On average, more than 16 primary school children are harmed on UK roads every day, equivalent to a whole classroom every two days.
  • In 2023, 2,299 children aged 4-11 were harmed while walking, 560 while cycling, and 2,934 while traveling by car.
  • Luca Straker, Brake's campaigns manager, emphasizes the importance of slower traffic for safer journeys.

Statistics:

  • 80% of parents and carers surveyed by Brake want 20mph speed limits on roads near their homes and children's schools.
  • 85% of those surveyed believe the government should do more to make their community's roads safer.
  • 55% of parents and carers want their primary school children to walk or wheel to school more often.
  • In 2023, 6,069 children aged 4-11 were harmed on UK roads, with 28 fatalities and 1,077 serious injuries.
  • On average, more than 16 primary school children are harmed on UK roads every day.
  • 2,299 children aged 4-11 were harmed while walking in 2023.
  • 560 children aged 4-11 were harmed while cycling in 2023.
  • 2,934 children aged 4-11 were harmed while traveling by car in 2023.

Sources:

  • Brake, "Call to Action: Lower speed limits on roads where children travel to and from school" [1]
  • Brake, "New research reveals parents' fears for children's safety on the way to school" [2]
  • Government Road Safety Strategy [3]
  • Official UK road casualty statistics for 2023 [4]
  • Brake, "Slow traffic means safer journeys for children" [5]

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