HC Deb 27 November 1967 vol 755 cc38-9W
Sir W. Bromley-Davenport

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in connection with her publicity with regard to the new Road Safety Act, she will publish the figures available to her Department showing how accident rates have changed in Sweden and West Germany in each year since the introduction of similar legislation in those countries in 1941 and 1965, respectively.

Mr. Carmichael

In Sweden, the number of road accidents in 1940 was 7,190. In 1941 (in July of which maximum blood/alcohol levels were introduced for drivers) the total fell to 6,256. Figures for later years were as follows:

Year Road accidents
1942 6,765
1943 6,352
1944 6,100
1945 6,507
1946 14,410
1947 17,847
1948 15,468
1949 15,859
1950 20,427
1951 24,561
1952 29,510
1953 31,914
1954 40,651
1955 45,850
1956 49,227
1957 51,857
1958 56,575
1959 55,959
1960 58,060
1961 60,318
1962 62,041
1963 63,213
1964 63,451

The figures include all accidents investigated by the police, and not only injury accidents, as figures for the earlier years are available only on this basis. They may reflect differing levels of police activity.

In West Germany the number of injury accidents in 1964 was 328,668, and in 1965 was 316,361. The figure for 1966 is not yet available.

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