The Government has announced the formation of a new Road Safety Investigation Branch (RSIB) to investigate road accidents and advise on how to improve road safety.

This has been called for by the RAC Foundation and others for a long time to match the success of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch. At present road accidents are investigated by the police primarily to identify any culpability. As a result, drivers involved tend to clam up and refuse to give evidence in case they are identified as being to blame.

The new RSIB will not identify blame or liability but will anyone providing evidence to it be excluded from consideration of criminal or civil liability? It is not clear at present.

In principle the new body is to be welcomed but there is still the problem that any evidence it produces may be ignored as it is at present. For example the lack of effectiveness of 20 MPH signed only speed limits is well documented in a DfT report but local councils still promote them as a road safety measure. Dogma from the ignorant overrides the evidence.

See DfT announcement: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-countrys-first-ever-investigation-branch-focused-on-road-safety

Roger Lawson

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Drivers_London

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