Some sobering statistics to ponder

This is the start of a month long campaign to raise awareness of some of the key issues that today's drivers face. I make no excuses for promoting the work of IAM RoadSmart in the work that it does to improve driving and riding and the research they provide to the UK Government.

First though, some key numbers to put things into perspective.

For the year ended 2015 there was a 2% increase vs. 2014 in the number of people killed on the roads. A total of 1732 people lost their lives.

There were:

• 409 pedestrians killed,
• 100 cyclists 
• 365 motorcyclists.

This last group, motorcyclists, saw an 8% rise in the number killed vs. 2014.

Human factors continue to significantly outweigh other reasons for crashes on British roads. People must accept responsibility for enhancing their own skills and recognising their limitations. Like so many other areas of life extra coaching pays dividends – and for a driver or rider, that means keeping their skills fresh by continuous improvement and learning.