The economic downturn has combined with road safety interventions to save lives.

A recent report issued by The International Traffic Safety Data and Analysis Group (IRTAD) shows that after a slowdown in the pace of improvement in road safety in 2007, road fatalities in most countries including GB, showed a large reduction in 2008 compared to the previous year.

Among the best performing countries highlighted in the report are Sweden – an eighteen percent fall and Slovenia – a twenty six per cent fall. The report shows UK fatalities falling by fourteen per cent.

IRTAD is an on-going working group of the Joint Transport Research of the OECD and the International Transport Forum.