London Fire Brigade is asking the public to take extra care on London’s roads this winter and help reduce the number of road traffic collisions.
Seasonal changes, such as ice, snow and shorter days, bring new hazards to the capital’s roads over the winter. Wet or icy road conditions alone can significantly impact a vehicle's ability to brake in an emergency. Data from last winter (November 2022-February 2023), shows firefighters attended 11 road traffic collisions a day on average.
In total, the Brigade’s crews responded to 1,369 separate road traffic collisions during the four-month period. These included firefighters carrying out 366 rescues and, sadly, there were nine fatalities. In total, 350 separate injuries were recorded due to the collisions in this period.
Across London, firefighters have been working with communities to help reduce the number of incidents on the capital’s roads. Station Officer Daniel Foster at Croydon Fire Station was recently awarded a Deputy Assistant Commissioner’s commendation for his “respect the road” road safety training which he has delivered to young drivers across the borough. Station Officer Foster sourced funding from the local authority to build a dedicated road safety hub at Croydon Fire Station complete with a driving simulator and virtual reality training videos, all to educate young people about the risks they may face on the road.
Data collected by the Brigade also shows the boroughs with the highest number of collisions. Croydon tops the list, with the Brigade attending 80 separate incidents on its roads. Barnet and Hillingdon come in a close second and third, with 74 and 73 road traffic collisions recorded by the Brigade.
Whilst the five highest boroughs for collisions the Brigade attended are all outer London boroughs, winter road hazards can be found on any road in any borough. As a result, it’s important for people to follow the Brigade’s safety advice wherever they are on the road.
In support of the Mayor's Transport Strategy and Vision Zero, which aims to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries from London's transport network by 2041, the Brigade is working to highlight the importance of safety on London’s roads.
Station Officer Foster said: “Drivers should take extra care when using the roads in winter. Slight changes in weather and lighting over winter can create difficult conditions on the road, increasing the risk of collisions. Even the most experienced drivers may find themselves more likely to be involved in a collision.
“We recommend road users avoid travelling in harsh weather where possible, especially if they don’t feel confident driving in poor conditions.
“It is not just drivers who need to follow this advice. Changes in weather can also impact the safety of cyclists on the road, and longer periods of darkness can make pedestrians less visible. All road users can take actions to help improve their safety.”
Emma Fraser, Policy and Strategy Group Team Leader (Water and Road Safety), said: “Across the Brigade we’re working to support the Mayor's Transport Strategy and Vision Zero. This includes our Biker Down sessions where we teach motorbike users about road safety and how to react to an emergency on the road. It is important the entirety of London’s road network is safe for everyone to use, not just in winter but throughout the year.”
Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience, Fiona Twycross said: “London Fire Brigade has been engaging with communities across the capital to help reduce the number of collisions on our roads. I fully support the Brigade’s ongoing and vital work to highlight the importance of road safety this winter. This is part of the Mayor’s Vision Zero commitment to eliminate all death and serious injury from London’s roads by 2041.”