Fire Chiefs welcome plans to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the roads

Responding to the UK Government’s Road Safety Strategy published today, National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Road Safety Lead, Dan Quin, said:

“NFCC strongly welcomes the announcement of a new road safety strategy, which is a crucial step towards reducing deaths and serious injuries on our roads. NFCC and organisations across the road safety sector have long warned that progress on road safety has dragged across the last decade and we are encouraged to see the Government recognising this and taking meaningful action.

“We particularly welcome the introduction of measures that strengthen young driver safety, including a consultation on a minimum learning period, although we would like to see the Government introduce greater protections for these vulnerable road users.

“NFCC has supported calls for the establishment of a new Road Safety Investigation Branch to bolster prevention strategies and we are pleased to see this come to fruition today. It is also welcome to see the adoption of the Safe System approach, which is essential for a road network designed so that inevitable human mistakes do not result in death or serious injury. Embedding these principles is critical to a truly comprehensive and sustainable road safety framework.

“Whilst this strategy marks important progress, there remains scope to go much further to make our roads safer. Fire and rescue services already play a vital role in road safety, responding to over 32,000 road traffic collisions in England last year – a 17% increase over the past five years. Yet their statutory responsibilities remain limited to preparing for and responding to collisions. NFCC is calling on the Government to consult on expanding these duties to reflect the wide-ranging prevention activities fire and rescue services deliver, such as education campaigns and programmes that help people become safer road users.

“Crucially, the Government must ensure its commitment to road safety is backed by the necessary investment in prevention and emergency response capabilities. Fire and rescue services stand ready to fulfil their critical role in reducing harm and saving lives. With the right support, we can make an even greater impact.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

• NFCC’s Road Safety Position Statement was published in December 2024.
• Further information about the Safe System principles can be found here.
• Data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government showing the number of road traffic collisions responded to by FRS in England can be found here.
• The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) is a charity and an independent membership association and the professional voice of the UK Fire and Rescue Service. NFCC supports fire and rescue services to help them to save lives and keep their local communities safe.