david davies, executive director, pacts

David DaviesExecutive Director, PACTSUK

All-Party Parliamentary Group - The importance of Politicians and Professionals in Road SafetyGlobal Forum for Road Safety Legislators, London, December 2016

What are APPGs?

• A British institution?? • Multi-party groups of MPs and Lords• No official parliamentary status• No funding from parliament or government• But operate under Parliament’s rules • Not always loved by Parliament!!

APPGs

UK likes them!

• 582 APPGs in UK Parliament – 120 country groups– 459 subject groups – 3 clubs

• Easily born, slow to die

APPGs

about PACTS

Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety

Better known as PACTS!

APPGs

about PACTS

• 1981 Transport Act - seat-belt law• PACTS formally established in 1982• One of the oldest UK all-party groups• MPs, Lords, safety professionals, businesses

and user groups

APPGs

Barry Sheerman MPFounder members and Chairman of PACTS

about PACTS

Unique features:• Transport safety - road, rail and aviation• Focused on Parliament

APPGs

about PACTS

• Balanced, evidence-based approach• Listened to by Government• Briefings to and about Parliament• Small staff but network of experts• Also important outside UK Parliament–Work with local and regional governments– Founder of European Transport Safety Council

APPGs

Why is PACTS useful?

• Government does not have all the expertise • Wide range of members (industry, user

groups, professions, academics, etc)• Neutral, honest broker, umbrella• Networking, advice, website, twitter• Conferences, research, briefings

APPGs

APPGs

Dashboard published annually by PACTS: unique analysis for every GB constituency. See http://www.pacts.org.uk/dashboard/

International Comparisons (OECD) Road Deaths per Million Population, 2013

But road safety not solved in UK!

• 25,000 people killed or seriously injured in UK each year• Largest cause of accidental death for young people (5-25 yrs)• £1.8 million - the value of preventing each death• 910,000 – the estimated total number of casualties (National

Travel Survey in RRCGB 2013)• 1,000 people will die in 2030 in GB (PACTS forecast) • We don’t feel safe• Some worrying recent trends

APPGs

or globally......

• 1.3 million people killed each year• A growing problem in many countries • By 2030 road traffic collisions will be fourth largest killer • Traffic collisions caused more deaths than Ebola outbreak in

those countries

APPGs

Road safety is Not common sense!!

For example:• 95% of collisions involved humans error. But

education may not be the solution! • Removing motorways hard shoulders will

increase crashes. No, removing hard shoulder has reduced crashes!!

APPGs

Cicero: The first duty of government and the law......

APPGs

The role of legislators… • Leadership and commitment• Priorities• Legislation• Scrutiny of government• Influence research and evaluation • Review, listen and adapt

APPGs can help

APPGs

Thank you

David DaviesExecutive Director

PACTS

Phone: +44 (0) 207 222 7732E-mail: david.davies@pacts.org.uk

Web: www.pacts.org.ukTwitter: @pacts

APPGs