HC Deb 07 December 1988 vol 143 c160W
Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many children under the age of five years have been killed in traffic accidents in which the vehicle driver was found to be intoxicated with alcohol.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

In 1986, two children under the age of five years were killed in accidents where at least one of the drivers involved had a blood or breath alcohol content above the legal limit. In 1987, three children under five years were killed in accidents where a driver involved failed a roadside breath test. The accidents where a driver was killed and found to have a high blood alcohol content have not yet been completely indentified for 1987.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatalities and serious injuries concerning children under five years travelling in vehicles involved in traffic accidents took place in the years 1980 to 1988; and how many of these children were travelling in car safety seats.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

The table shows the numbers of children under five years who suffered fatal or serious injuries in road accidents while they were travelling in cars or other motor vehicles. It also shows the percentage of these child casualties who were recorded as using a child restraint or seat belt.

Casualties (fatal and serious) among children aged 0-4 travelling in motor vehicles: Great Britain: 1980–1987
Year Vehicle type Percentage of (a) restrained
(a) Cars (b) Other motor vehicles
1980 329 39 6
1981 306 48 9
1982 330 36 11
1983 310 34 15
1984 381 33 19
1985 357 33 15
1986 390 30 19
1987 403 28 20

It is obvious that the numbers are influenced by the spreading family use of cars and the percentage by the growing installation and use of restraints by child passengers.

Back to
Forward to