Child deaths increased in 2006 by a fifth, the Department of Transport (DfT) today has revealed in its Road Casualties Great Britain 2006.
Child deaths to 2006 increased by 20 per cent year-on-year, as there was also a 13 per cent in child pedestrian deaths and a substantial 55 per cent in child cyclist deaths.
'These results should act as a wake-up call to government. While there has been progress in reducing child road deaths over the past decade, today’s horrifying results show there is no room for complacency,' said Jools Townsend, head of education at Brake, the road safety charity.
Mr Townsend urged the government to look at the example of Sweden's 'Vision Zero' policy, a successful plan that has made the Nordic country one of the safest for pedestrians.
The 'Vision Zero' policy looks at road safety from an ethical point of view and encourages designers for vehicles and roads to improve their systems.
It also requires the thorough investigation of any road death.
Among other results revealed by the DfT's report was only a small reduction in total road deaths since 2005 of 1 per cent.
The number of motorcyclists also continued their steady rise, up five per cent in a year, and having increased almost 30 per cent this decade since the period 1994-1998.
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