Collisions are categorised by severity:

• Fatal - collision resulting in death within 30 days of collision occurring

• Serious - over night detention in hospital (paralysis, fractures, major lacerations)

• Slight - whiplash, sprains or minor lacerations

Based on Department for Transport (DfT) 2009 figures, the costs to the community for each severity of casualty are as follows:

• Fatal - £1,585,510

• Serious - £178,160

• Slight - £13,740

The table below shows the number of road traffic casualties on Dorset County Council roads in 2010 and 2011 by month, compared against the 2005/09 average.

*KSI = Killed or Seriously Injured

**2011 figures for November and December are currently unvalidated and are therefore subject to significant change.

Please note - due to the validation process casualty data is typically two to three months behind.

Future Casualty Reduction Targets

As part of the Local Transport Plan 3 - Road Safety Strategy 2011-2026 (pdf, 347kb) (opens in a new window) , Dorset County Council, Bournemouth Borough Council and the Borough of Poole have agreed to set 10 and 15 year casualty reduction targets to 2020 and 2025.  The targets, based against the 2005/9 KSI baseline average, are:

• 40% reduction in the number of KSI casualties by 2020
• 60% reduction in the number of KSI casualties by 2025

The 2005/9 KSI baseline average for Dorset County Council is 271; the 2020 KSI target is 163, the 2025 KSI target is 109. 

Charts showing recent Road Traffic Collision and Casualty Statistics (pdf, 189kb) (opens in a new window) .

To view annual casualty figures broken down by road user group please see Annual casualty figures 1998-2010 (pdf, 74kb) (opens in a new window) .

If you are concerned about a particular road in your area in the first instance we suggest you talk to your Parish, Town or County Councillors.

National collision and casualty statistics are published annually by the DfT. Please see the Department for Transport: Reported Road Casualties Great Britain 2009 (opens in a new window) .

Strategic Framework for Road Safety

The Government have recently released their  DfT - Strategic Framework for Road Safety (opens in a new window) .  The framework sets out the Governments' approach to continuing to reduce killed and seriously injured casualties on Britain's roads.

The focus is on increasing the range of educational options for the drivers who make genuine mistakes and can be helped to improve while improving enforcement against the most dangerous and deliberate offenders.  Additionally, at the local level, the Government will be increasing the road safety information that is available to local citizens.