UK Fire Chiefs back calls for Graduated Driver Licensing
Crews attended over 31,000 road traffic collisions in 2023.
Last updated 22 hours ago
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) is calling for further action to tackle road deaths and injuries across the UK.
Fire and rescue services (FRSs) responded to over 31,000 road traffic collisions (RTCs) in 2023 alone, an increase of over 10% (from 27,930) in 2012/13, according to Home Office data.
NFCC has recently released its road safety position statement and is calling on the Government to consult on expanding the legal duties of the Fire and Rescue Service to include prevention as well as response. This would include educational campaigns and programmes encouraging people to become safer road users.
It also wants to see road safety themes embedded into school curriculums across the UK and Wales, ensuring future generations understand and prioritise safe driving behaviours. B
“Road safety is a public health priority that requires bold action and coordinated efforts."
Meanwhile, NFCC is adding to the growing chorus of organisations calling for greater intervention to protect high-risk road users with the introduction of graduated driver licensing for those aged 17 to 24. This demographic accounts for a disproportionately high number of road traffic collision fatalities, with around a fifth of collisions involving a car in which someone was killed or seriously injured in 2022 involving a young car driver. International evidence, including that from Australia and Canada, has shown the success of these systems in reducing crashes and fatalities among young and novice drivers.
National Fire Chiefs Council Road Safety and Road Rescue Lead, and Chief Fire Officer for Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, Dan Quin, said:
“Road safety is a public health priority that requires bold action and coordinated efforts. Fire and rescue services already play a crucial role in keeping people safe on the roads, but we need the Government to consider whether our statutory duties should more accurately reflect the full breadth of the work we do and look to support this with adequate funding. Without this our ability to prevent harm is limited.
“As our roads become busier and with technologies such as e-scooters and e-bikes changing the way we travel, fire and rescue services are also facing a changing risk landscape. The rise in lithium-ion battery fires poses new challenges for prevention and response, which means that the right training and equipment needs to be in place.
“Fire and rescue services are only one piece of the puzzle, and we want to see governments play a leading role in driving improvements in road safety at a national level through enhanced legislation, regulation, standards, and education.”
Executive Director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), Jamie Hassall, said:
“We welcome the calls from NFCC to formalise the role of fire and rescue services in preventing road traffic collisions from occurring rather than just focusing on preparing and responding to these incidents – bringing things in line with a Safe System approach. I support the recommendations in the policy position statement and hope to see the Government and devolved administrations take them forwards.”
Director of the RAC Foundation, Steve Gooding, said:
“Fire and rescue services bring invaluable knowledge and experience to road safety, from responding to collisions to supporting the delivery of evidence-based initiatives. Their trusted role in communities makes them key partners in facilitating a safer road environment.”
In a recent statement the Department for Transport said the Government's currently developing a Road Safety Strategy, the first in 10 years, and they'll be working closely with organisations and campaigners to make sure it's as effective as possible.