https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001...ller-roads
So there has been a 5% increase in UK road fatalities for the first time in 40 years.
1600 deaths (inc 150 cyclists) and 25K seriously injured per year
The program looks at causes and mentioned:
Lack of traffic police
Lack of breath testing
Smart Motorways
Old roads unsuitable for modern vehicles
Lack of working Speed Cameras

But IMO it completely failed to highlighted the cause of probably 95% of fatalities - the driver's behaviour:
Too fast
Too close
Too oblivious
Too angry
Too drunk
Too drugged
Too stupid
Too inconsiderate & selfish Jules

Just watched the programme and agree with you Jules. All of the dashcam footage was down to sheer bad driving, pulling out of junctions clearly without looking, shocking overtaking manoeuvres. No amount of traffic policing will prevent that unless the muppets involved are actually witnessed. Police will of course be called to such incidents and check for drink and drugs and deal accordingly but no amount of police is ever going to be able to stop these incidents

jules wrote:

Lack of traffic police
Lack of breath testing
Smart Motorways
Old roads unsuitable for modern vehicles
Lack of working Speed Cameras

But IMO it completely failed to highlighted the cause of probably 95% of fatalities - the driver's behaviour:
Too fast
Too close
Too oblivious
Too angry
Too drunk
Too drugged
Too stupid
Too inconsiderate & selfish

Agree Jules
i would add that cars also give a driver a false sense of security.
All of the behaviours mentioned could be this sense that nothing will happen to them in their ultra safe car

I remember seeing a car safety expert on a programme once saying that with all the vehicle safety systems, drivers felt 'safe' in their cars and they took more chances than they should. He said if it was up to him, he'd remove the seat belts and air bags and put a large spike in the centre of the steering wheel. He said that would make them think a bit more about their own safety.  Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

remove all safety systems and have a solid spike (steering column) where the steering wheel fits - are you advocating that everyone is forced to drive old style Defenders / Series 3?

Then again not a bad idea.
Too slow to overtake another vehicle, too cold to fall asleep, too noisy to use a mobile phone, and way too much steering play to contemplate texting while driving using your knees.

Solved bring back the old 2 litre non-turbo diesel Series III as the compulsory vehicle for private vehicles in the UK and you can cut fatal accidents by 110% - lots of non-fatal accidents as the brakes are pants, but they are built like meccano so a couple of hours on the driveway = new wing fitted, no need to paint as aluminum doesn't rust.  Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

There are many reasons for the increase in accidents apart from the feeling safe and disconnected from the road, the performance and road holding of new cars are such that when they do let go their speed is considerably higher than yester year and being some 20% larger there is less room to recover and also less time, a good old MK2 Cortina would lose the rear in the wet at less than 60mph, reasonably easy to catch, a new Mini larger than a Mk2 Cortina will let go on the same bend at 80 mph and it's more than likely to be the front end that goes, straight across the road or into the nearest tree'
The other fact it seems to be cheaper and less of a ban to commit the same offence in a stolen uninsured car than have the same accident in your own legal car, judging by the round up at the end of most police chase programmes. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

It's only cheaper as the that steal the cars don't have a regular job (if they did they wouldn't have the time), so very little declared income and the fine is a percentage of your income. Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

There is another reason possibly and that is mobile phones and streaming whilst driving, and I believe you can text via a voice text system fitted to some cars. Just read a mother who hit a truck at 7.30am was believed to be watching Love Island on he phone via a hands free mount on the dash.
There have been a few truck drivers who also have been either streaming or watching videos via phones or preloaded into other devices killing multiple people when they have collided with stationary traffic in M-ways or dual carriageways. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.