In 2022, a staggering 0.39 vehicle miles were travelled on Harrow’s roads and, for many of us, a car journey to work or for the school run is a normal part of everyday life but, just how safe are our roads? In this article, we’re going to be taking a close up of road safety in our borough.
A driving force
Earlier this month, drivers and pedestrians were shocked after a collision near The Hare pub in Old Redding left a car on its roof and a motorcyclist seriously injured; bringing one of Harrow’s busiest roads to a standstill. A road traffic accident – whether you’re a driver or a pedestrian – can be devastating and consequences can include prison terms, life-changing injuries and death.
Over 1711 people are killed on the UK’s roads every year and many more suffer serious injuries. There are many reasons that traffic accidents and incidents occur, including:
- Carelessness
- Tiredness
- Drink driving
- Drug driving
- Driver error
- Pedestrian error
How safe are Harrow’s roads?
While the incidents like the one we mentioned at the beginning of this article are certainly horrific, the good news is that they are relatively rare. Figures for north London show that, across the region, the incidents of road collisions and deaths have been steadily decreasing. Figures from 2021, show that Harrow boasted the lowest number of road incidents overall at just 385 and only one fatality.
During the same period, Enfield recorded the most collisions at 385 and the borough of Brent the most deaths with six fatalities. While Harrow’s figures are fairly impressive, we’re reminded that there is still work to be done across the whole of London and Walking and
Cycling Commission, Will Norman, has underlined this, saying, ‘We are determined to eliminate deaths and serious injuries from London’s roads in line with the Mayor’s Vision Zero goal. Lowering speeds, continued investment in walking and cycling schemes, and transforming dangerous junctions are key to reducing road danger’.
In the meantime, residents of Harrow can maybe breathe a little easier in the knowledge that our borough’s roads are pretty safe for our families.
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Nicci, born in Cumbria in 1971, moved to London at 17 to work for Mute Records. She has a diverse career spanning design, copywriting, and PR. Nicci is an author, freelance copywriter, and PR professional, with her own agency, Front Page Promotions. She covers historical stories for Harrow Online and has authored several books. She currently resides in Harrow, North West London
