Lord Bruce of Doningtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have made any broad estimate, however provisional, of the financial savings which would be made in the public services (including the NHS, police force, fire brigades and ambulance services), were the number of accidents involving motor vehicles reduced by 20 per cent.
The Minister of State, Department of Transport (The Earl of Caithness)The best available estimate is that a 20 per cent. reduction in accidents involving motor vehicles would save the National Health Service £32 million in the cost of provision of hospital treatment and ambulance services and would save the police service £8 million. No information is available on the costs to the fire service of road accidents or on the costs to the community health service of providing continuing care to the victims of road accidents.