§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many children were(a) killed and (b) injured in road accidents (i) during school hours and (ii) while travelling to and from school in the latest period for which figures are available. [29164]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonIn 1996, there were 35 children killed while travelling to and from school and 8,941 injured, of which 1,377 were injured seriously. These figures include some pupils who are aged 16 years old. In 1996 there were 270 children (aged 0–15) killed and (in the same age group) 44,835 children were injured, of which 6,519 were seriously injured. However, because of differing school hours and days, it is not possible to determine how many occurred during school hours.
§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many children were killed in road traffic accidents(a) in total, (b) by drivers while speeding and (c) by drivers under the influence of (i) alcohol and (ii) drugs in the latest period for which figures are available. [29163]
598W
§ Ms Glenda JacksonIn 1996, there were 270 children (aged 0–15) killed in road accidents in Great Britain. In 1995, the most recent year in which sufficiently detailed data is available to analyse drink drive casualties by age, it is estimated that 15 children were killed in accidents involving a driver with an illegal level of blood alcohol. No figures are available for children killed in accidents involving a speeding driver or a driver under the influence of drugs although research suggests that around one third of all accidents involve excessive speed. Recent research is also beginning to indicate a greater presence of drugs in drivers killed in road accidents, although we have no evidence as to the causative effect of drugs in such accidents and no information is available regarding child casualties in such accidents.