Road Fatalities

Report: 13
Date: 25 October 2007
By: Assistant Commissioner Central Operations on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

[Some data in this report is inconsistent and will be revised when this report is resubmitted to the Authority]

This report is submitted as requested by the MPA full Authority June 2007 and sets the MPS out our goal and factors that impact on fatalities.

A. Recommendation

That the report be received.

B. Supporting information

1. The reduction of ‘killed and seriously injured’ (KSI) is a cross cutting target involving the Department for Transport (DfT) and highway authorities. Whilst the latter are concerned with engineering solutions, enforcement issues fall to the police. The targets are to reduce the number of KSIs by 40% by 2010 (compared to the 94-98 baseline in 2000). As a consequence of the early achievement last year, the Mayor then requested a stretching target of the MPS of 50% by 2010. Whilst this was generally feasible, the MPS sought extra funding to tackle motorcycles and mopeds (powered two- wheelers: P2Ws). As a result BikeSafe, an educational course for P2W riders was funded by Transport for London (TfL). The MPS has achieved the following against the baseline:

2. Examining the last year (2006-07) in detail: there were 3,806 KSI casualties, which is a 3.4% decline on the previous year. Of these 225 were fatalities, the exact same number in 2005/06 and this year there has a been a 10% decrease. The number of seriously injured casualties represents the joint second lowest yearly total since the Government target was introduced, followed by a 9.3% decrease this year. There are many enforcement interactions and which are detailed in paragraph 6.

3. The projection indicates a continued decline in KSI casualties but will adjust and become more reliable over the coming months as data accumulates capturing both the natural fluctuation in casualty numbers and seasonal influences. Whilst it is difficult to assign exact cause and effect, the turnaround for this year does coincide with greater fixed penalty notice enforcement and the opening of a second vehicle pound. Whereas, the deterioration last year also coincides with a net decrease in MPS fixed penalty notice enforcement, which resulted in the MPS ranking fifth in its most similar forces group.

4. The Traffic Department CO15 traditionally ‘owned’ the KSI target, whereas now it is mainstreamed as a corporate objective. The strategy for KSI reduction (based on the national strategy at para 6 below) is contained in the department’s policing plan and is monitored at the Roads Policing Strategic Committee (RPSC) and the MPS Performance Board. In view of mainstreaming this objective across the MPS, the RSPC now has a wider membership to include Territorial Policing, Specialist Crime and Specialist Operations. Its first meeting achieved its purpose in widening understanding and operational response.

5. The MPS has received two successive gradings of ‘excellent’ from HMIC on the basis of Traffic (CO15) and Transport Operational Command Unit (TOCU CO17) activity. For a third grading of excellent in 2009 it will be necessary to continue to mainstream it across other CO units and Territorial Policing (TP) in particular. Commander Quinton (TP) is leading on securing more enforcement activity on BOCUs by Safer Neighbourhood Teams. There has been a net increase of approximately 10% in fixed penalty notice enforcement (pan MPS) for the first two quarters for 07 compared to the average for last year.

6. The factors affecting KSI casualties are:

1. the increased survivability due to the advances in medical attention at the scene,
2. enhanced vehicle safety,
3. the general fleet becoming more modern once UK prices matched those in the EU, and
4. an increase in ownership leading to increased congestion, which in turn leads to an average reduction in speed.

7. However, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) recognises the following factors that influence the casualty rates:

• drink or drug impairment,
• excessive speed,
• not wearing a seatbelt and
• mobile phone use (non hands free).

8. These four elements are the mainstay for the DfT Think! campaign. Our data shows that drink drive arrests have increased by over 40% over the last three years, although this is a reflection of greater police activity rather than an actual increase in incidence. The issue of fixed penalty notices for driving with excessive speed has fallen by 18% during the same period. The areas that have seen the largest increase are mobile phone use (fix penalty notices up 133%), and not wearing a seatbelt (up 45%).

9. MPS studies have also demonstrated that the most common symptoms for at risk drivers include: no insurance and/or no licence. These alone do not cause the KSIs, however the interaction is obvious. Much worse, this group having failed to stop after an accident do not anonymously call for an ambulance. It is for these reasons that the use of ANPR to stop such drivers is essential before they go on to kill or maim the public.

10. The top three causation factors for all collisions, not just KSIs reveals drivers failing to look properly as the factor most likely to lead to a collision. Second is a driver being careless/reckless in a hurry and third is poor turn or manoeuvre.

11. The demographic profile of drivers involved in KSI collisions in 2006 shows just over 75% to be male and 68% to be white (male and female). It is harder to draw any firm conclusions about driver age as access to vehicles and the journey frequency are likely to contribute to the likelihood of a collision occurring: there are simply more drivers in the 31 to 40 year age group than there are in the 17 to 30 group, and these older drivers are also more likely to make more journeys.

12. In summation the ethnic breakdown of drivers involved in KSIs is 2615 white drivers accounting for 68.5%, 627 Black drivers accounting for 16.5%, 493 Asian drivers accounting for 12.9%, 77 other ethnic origin accounting for 0.9%.

13. A new development to assist (Borough Operational Command Units) BOCUs are KSI hotspot maps. The traffic OCU will complete bespoke KSI maps showing hotspots for every BOCU so local enforcement can be targeted. They broadly reflect areas of high vehicle density and population.

14. In terms of outcomes, the Traffic Criminal Justice Unit (CO16) works closely with the Traffic OCU and the Crown Prosecution Service to administrate justice in relation to fatal and serious injury collisions. In 2006, CO16 dealt with 252 fatal collision cases and 633 serious personal injury cases.

Organised Criminality

15. Staged collisions, driver nomination deceptions and false or fraudulent operator’s licences have all come to notice through the Traffic Intelligence assessments and are subject of on-going inquiries and prosecutions.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition

16. The Traffic (CO15) OCU has increased its units’ outputs over the last two years (21% per capita in year 1, 20% overall in year 2). The final arrest annual figures were 3889 from a team of 55 officers. TP and both airports are aiming to increase the use of the fixed and mobile ANPR cameras.

Fixed Penalty Notices 2006-07

17. Traffic and TOCU (CO17) issued 57% of all MPS fixed penalty notices. Traffic alone issued 44% and Borough operational Command Units are responsible for issuing 43%. TP have since increased enforcement by a third for the first half of this year.

Uninsured Vehicles

18. The MPS has recently doubled the capacity of storage pounds by opening Perivale in May 2007; we are also piloting 5 mini pounds on Boroughs. This in part redresses previous MPS seizure rates being below comparative forces. At present we seize four times more vehicles than we did four years ago. Operation FOIST (an intensive use of ANPR for vehicle seizures for uninsured drivers) was run in November 2006 in Hackney, Haringey and Newham which are ‘high fail to stop areas’. This resulted in approximately 1806 uninsured vehicle seizures (109 vehicles scrapped) and 212 people arrested for a variety of offences. This was a partnership operation with TfL. The operations were independently evaluated by the Strategy, Modernisation and Performance Directorate, which found that all crime within the areas had reduced by 13%. Further operations are being planned for this Autumn. In addition, the Vehicle Recovery and Examination Service seized over 10,000 uninsured vehicles with its use of large vehicle transporters to support Op FOIST being promulgated as good practice.

Cameras

19. The number of cameras has increased from 268 in 2000 to 548 in 2007. The MPS will aim to put more cameras where the DfT criteria dictates, ideally supported by electronic ‘slow down’ boards to warn drivers of a camera. However, the MPS has one of the worst rates of conversion from a flash activation to either payment or a court hearing at 43%, it also has the second least funding of the back office. A full review of back office functions clearly indicates a need for increased staffing in order to achieve an 80% conversion rate. The camera partnership (LSCP) is currently reviewing the funding arrangements.

Pedal cycles

20. The use of pedal cycles has increased by 81% since 2001. Whilst every ‘failure to stop’ at red lights is a potential fatal, the outcomes show otherwise, it hardly affects KSIs. However, such abuse can be considered to be a form of anti-social behaviour and fixed penalty notices should be issued. Moreover, drivers abusing the ‘advance green boxes’ will also receive fixed penalty notice. TfL are running an education campaign.

Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)

21. A trial of PDAs for fixed penalty notices enforcement (a UK first) resulted initially in an increase of 43%, which levelled out to 31% after a year. The PDAs now have an e-collision report book (CRB); another national first. It is now most topical with comment from the Prime Minister and HMIC about the greater use of PDAs. The e-CRB can now form the basis of an on-line self-reporting tool for non-serious collisions and its viability as a benefit for the insurance industry is also being explored.

Traffic Police Community Support Officers (TPCSOs)

22. TPCSOs issue fixed penalty notices and Penalty Charge Notices to drivers. However, none of their current powers would allow them to police the key offences, which impact on KSIs. They indirectly contribute by policing the following offences below.

Penalty Charge Notices

• Vehicle parked more than 50cm away from the kerb.
• Parked adjacent to a dropped footway.
• Being in a bus lane.
• Parked wholly or partly on cycle track.
• Heavy commercial vehicle wholly or partly on footway/verge land between 2 carriageways.
• Footway parking.

Fixed Penalty Notices

• Parked on double white lines.
• Stopping on a crossing area.
• Stopping in a controlled area pelican/zebra.
• Stopping on Zig Zag in a toucan crossing.
• Dangerous position of vehicle.
• Unnecessary obstruction.

Education

23. In addition to supporting TfL school visits, the MPS and TfL (through LSCP) have introduced speed and red light awareness courses as an alternative to prosecution. A mystery shopper exercise reported favourably on the content and delivery. The partnership has also targeted the highest at risk group (young males) through advertising and interactive use of mobile phone media.

C. Race and equality impact

1. A report by TfL (unpublished) found that the number of minority ethic children killed or seriously injured was disproportional. Research into this has found that the more impoverished areas showed higher numbers of KSIs. These would be areas where there were fewer facilities for children to play and therefore an increased number of children playing on the street. The MPS target patrols and tasks traffic officers to areas where there are high ‘fail to stop’, high killed or seriously injured and high ‘child killed and seriously injured’; these areas are also high crime areas.

2. ANPR outputs bear less relation to demography. At its meeting in the MPA Equal Opportunities And Diversity Board noted the latest Traffic CO15 report positively.

D. Financial implications

There are no financial implications.

E. Background papers

• MPA EODB Report 2006
• MPA Full Authority Report 2006
• MPA PPRC 2007
• MPA EODB Report 2007

F. Contact details

Report authors: Cdr Shabir Hussain, Shaalini Bhogal

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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