The definitive, interactive reference guide to life on the UK’s roads – now and over the last 50 years – is published by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) Motoring Trust today.It brings together a wealth of data from government bodies, vehicle manufacturers and trade associations.
IAM Motoring Facts 2008 provides a one-stop data source for the road-transport sector, and all the hard numbers to inform the debate on controversial issues such as vehicle noise, air pollution, road deaths, congestion and road construction. It will be updated constantly as new data becomes available.
“I am confident that IAM Motoring Facts will soon become the oracle for information on UK roads and motoring.Our researchers have become increasingly frustrated over recent years by inaccurate and incomparable information and out-of-date and difficult to navigate websites.IAM Motoring Facts 2008 draws together a vast array of up-to-the-minute and accurate data in an interactive interface that links to yet more detailed background statistics,” says Neil Greig, director of the IAM Motoring Trust.
“IAM Motoring Facts 2008 makes interesting reading - today, motorists are acutely aware of the cost of fuel and the perceived inconvenience of congestion, but many aspects of using roads has improved dramatically over the last 35 years,” according to Greig. “For example, in 1973 fewer cars were made in the UK and fewer cars were exported than now.Also, there were almost the same levels of vehicle pollution – in spite of the fact that there are two-and-a-half times more cars now than 35 years ago.”
Nowand then (circa 1973)
Cars26.5million10million
Vans3.1million1.4million
Lorries450,000550,000
Bus/coach0.110.09
Facts of Motoring Life
- Motorways make up just 0.9% of Britain’s road network but carry 20% of all traffic
- 77% of lorry traffic is now on motorways and major rural roads
- Road deaths are at their lowest level since 1930, when more than 7,300 were killed. In 1941, figures rose to an all-time high of 9,169 as the blackout took its toll
- Air and rail continue to be the safest ways to travel; among all modes of transport, the risk of death and injury is highest for motorcyclists
- Noise levels from vehicles have dropped dramatically – today’s new lorry is quieter than a car made in 1972
- Around the world, car ownership and economic growth are inextricably linked – an extreme example is in the USA, where there are more personal vehicles than people old enough to drive
- Four times as many car drivers under 30 years old are killed in accidents than drivers over 70
- Cars account for 13% of all UK CO2 emissions and just over half of emissions from domestic transport
IAM Motoring Facts 2008 can be downloaded from www.iamtrust.org.uk Just click on ‘Want to know more?’ to access the detailed background data used in its compilation.
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Media contacts:
Becky Hadley/David Armstrong at Hadstrong 020 7808 7997
OR
IAM Motoring Trust Media Relations – 020 8996 9777
ISDN line available
The IAM Motoring Trust is the research and advocacy arm of the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists).
