facts

The Department for Transport estimated in 2002 that in the past 20 years the wearing of seatbelts has saved 50,000 lives.

2003 – new law for using a hand-held mobile phone whilst driving – penalty of £30 fine or a fine of £1,000 if the case goes to court (£2,500 if a bus, coach or HGV driver)

The Department for Transport estimate that the new seat belt legislation introduced in 2006 could prevent over 2,000 child deaths injuries every year.

2006 – new child restraints law: children under 3 years old must use the correct child restraint for their weight when travelling in the front and rear of a vehicle (a change for front seat only); rear facing baby seats MUST NOT be used in a seat protecte

2007 - the penalties for using a hand-held mobile phone whilst driving changed to a £60 fine and 3 points on the licence. Fine increases to £1,000 if the case goes to court (£2,500 for bus, coach & HGV drivers)

The World Health Organisation forecasts that by 2020 road crashes will be the second most common cause of premature death in the world.

Since the invention of the car more than a century ago, about 30 million people have been killed in road crashes worldwide.