A major RoSPA conference will explore how the lessons learned through previous approaches to road safety can be taken forward to further reduce road deaths and injuries in the UK and around the world.
The safety charity's 74th Road Safety Congress will hear that significant progress has been made in reducing the number of lives lost and injuries suffered on the UK's roads, despite massive increases in traffic.
But it will also be told that, on average, eight people are still killed and 700 injured on roads in the UK every day, and that there are massive variations in road safety across the world. Globally, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among 15–19-year-olds, while for 10–14-year-olds and 20–24-year-olds they are the second leading cause of death.
Speakers are being sought for the conference - called Road Safety: What Have We Learnt? – which will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Blackpool from February 23-25, 2009, and sponsored by Britax.
Kevin Clinton, Head of Road Safety at RoSPA, said: "Road safety is entering a crucial period in the UK as we start to consider what strategies and targets should be developed for the next decade and beyond.
"Tremendous progress has been made, and looking back at how this has been achieved will help us to develop plans for the future. We must particularly consider the fact that improvements have not been experienced evenly by all road users and some groups have fared better than others. Future plans also need to recognise that the UK is at a stage of significant demographic change and that road safety overlaps with other policy areas, including the environment, public health, sustainable transport, policing and employment practices.
"In addition to providing a forum for discussing the effectiveness of policies, interventions and approaches to road safety in the UK, the congress will look for ways to tackle what has become a wider global problem."
Presentations describing successful road safety measures, or those that have only been partially successful, have failed or have had unintended consequences, are invited. Practical case studies (inside or outside the UK), or practical lessons from research, are particularly welcome. Abstracts of up to 500 words should be sent, by Friday, September 12, to Kevin Clinton, RoSPA, 353 Bristol Road, Birmingham, B5 7ST, faxed to 0121 248 2001 or emailed to kclinton@rospa.com
For more information about booking a place at the conference call 0121 248 2120, email events@rospa.com or visit www.rospa.com/road/