HC Deb 05 July 1984 vol 63 c240W
Mr. Peter Bruinvels

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Leicester, East, Official Report, column 399, if he will give a breakdown as to how the day and night fatal accident figures are worked out.

Mrs. Chalker

The figures for average costs per day and night time accidents on motorways, quoted inOfficial Report, column 399, are calculated from estimates which have been made of the components of road accident costs.

For each class of casualty severity, costs per casualty are multiplied by the number of casualties per fatal motorway accident. To the sum of casualty costs for all severities are added other costs associated with accidents, to give the average cost per motorway fatal accident.

A detailed breakdown of the calculation of average costs for day and night time fatal accidents on motorways is as follows:

Average cost per motorway fatal accident (£)
1982 1983
Day Night Day Night
Casualty costs 160,055 169,155 202,990 175,580
Other costs 2,335 2,335 2,470 2,470
Total 162,390 171,480 205,460 178,050
Due to rounding the above figures do not give the exact results of the calculations at each stage.
* As medical and ambulance costs in the two years were calculated on a different basis, the figures are not comparable.
† The 1983 casualties per accident figure is provisional.

Mr. Speed

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have been killed or seriously injured in the past 12 months in accidents at contra-flow carriageway sections of motorway where maintenance or reconstruction is in progress.

Mrs. Chalker

Information about accidents or casualties is not recorded separately for contro-flow carriageway sections of motorways.

However, provisional estimates for 1983 show 16 people killed and about 120 seriously injured on motorways in Great Britain in accidents where the presence of road works was recorded.