Accident fatalities down
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THE NUMBER of deaths and serious injuries suffered by light andheavy goods drivers fell again last year, according to Government's road accidents statistics published last week.
The number of heavy goods vehicle drivers killed or seriously injured fell from 597 in 1982 to 581 in 1983. In 1973, it was at least double at 1,130.
The fate of light goods vehicle drivers killed or seriously injured has follbwed the same downward trend, falling from 1,233 in 1982 to 917 in 1983. The figure was 2,377 in 1973. But the report does not venture why these improvements have occurred.
At the same time the percen tage of goods vehicle drivers killed or seriously injured per 100m vehicle kilometres is low in comparison to other road users — only bus and coach drivers are less likely to suffer serious injury or death.
The report also states that heavy goods vehicles generally break the speed limit more than other road users. On single carriageway roads well over 50 per cent were found to exceed the 40mph limit "while comparatively few cars exceeded their speed limit" and on dual carriageway it was found that around some 90 per cent of hgv exceed the 40mph limit, while only 12 per cent of cars speeded.
On motorways hgvs and cars were equal offenders; 40 per cent of cars exceeded the 70mph limit, but "39 per cent of hgvs exceeded their normal 60mph limit, two per cent being over 70rriph," says the report.
Lorry speed limits were increased earlier this year.