Say yes to cheaper van, home and car insurance

New government figures, released by the Department for Transport (DfT), show the number of casualties on the UK's roads has fallen.

The statistics show that in 2005 the number of deaths fell by one per cent to 3,201, while injuries dropped to 28,954, which signifies a seven per cent drop compared to last year.

The data is good news for drivers and it means fewer claims made to car insurance providers, however a storm is brewing concerning where the figures came from.

Campaign group Safe Speed has expressed concern that the DfT statistics have come from the police, which are traditionally lower than those taken from hospitals.

In fact, Safe Speed claims hospital figures published in the British Medical Journal suggest there has been no fall in road-related injuries for ten years.

The campaign group has hinted that police figures are used to create the illusion that road safety targets are being reached.

"Department for Transport serious injury figures show that targets are being met, while the much more reliable hospitalisation statistics show no improvement whatsoever," Safe Speed said.

Paul Smith, the campaign group's founder, added: "Whatever today's statistics might say, the roads are not getting safer.

"Department for Transport policies are supported only by false assumptions and twisted statistics.

"'Speed kills' and speed cameras are right at the centre of the problem. I can only assume that Department for Transport have been blinded by the constant flashing of their own infernal cameras," he concluded.

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