Home Affairs was asked for a comparison to previous years and for a more general comment on road safety in Guernsey. The request claimed that “current laws aren’t acting as much of a deterrent to being careless on the roads” and argued that “people need to feel the system is trying to protect them better before they make themselves a more vulnerable road user”.
It was based on an assumption that there have been more collisions recently involving pedestrians and/or cyclists.
The FOI response revealed that there hasn’t been.
Pictured: It was noted that the figures don’t “indicate any levels of apportioned blame”.
“Although the Island’s roads are far busier nowadays, they are also far safer,” said Home Affairs.
“For example, as a result of road traffic accidents:
• in 1969, there were 80 people seriously injured, and 7 fatalities (incl. 2 pedestrians)
• in 2022, there were 10 people seriously injured, and 1 fatal (driver)
“There are of course many reasons for the improvements in road safety, including updated drink drive laws, seat belts, motor vehicle construction and design, reduced speed limits and better highway infrastructure etc. as well as general road user behaviour and awareness campaigns.
“Road safety is important to the Committee for HomeAffairs and it engages with the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure on transport-related matters that are of mutual interest.
“Ways in which road safety can be improved are always under review, such as proposed drink/drug driving law amendments and a potential new offence of causing death by careless driving on which the Committee is preparing a Policy Letter for consideration by the States before the end of this political term.
“Some road traffic collisions statistics are published in the Bailiwick of Guernsey Law Enforcement Annual Reports.”