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The Government isn't doing enough to curb the number of people dying on UK roads, claims road safety body Brake after official figures confirm a third consecutive year of only a small reduction in deaths.
Last year, 1713 people were killed in road accidents in the UK - 2% fewer than in 2012.
Meanwhile, 21,657 suffered serious injuries, down 6% from the previous year.
"Road casualties are falling - but they are not falling nearly fast enough," says Brake's boss Julie Townsend.
Road deaths are now at their lowest level since records began in 1936, but this year's reduction compares poorly with the period between 2007 and 2010 when road fatalities were cut by 1096.
Between 2010 to 2013 just 137 fewer people died, prompting the disappointed reaction from Brake.
"At this rate, it will be many more decades before we reach the acceptable number of casualties on our roads, and that number is zero.
The Government needs to take far more proactive action to drive the casualties down faster," said Townsend.
Among other demands, Brake is calling for a zero-tolerance drink-drive limit as well as a 20mph urban speed limit.
Commenting on the new road deaths figures, the Department for Transport said it was "not
clear" as to why there was a lack of progress, and pointed to other times in the past when a rapid decline was followed by periods of modest reductions.
AA boss Edmund King highlighted the fact that the number of deaths on motorways had risen for the first time since 2005.
King said: "We need to understand what has caused this to happen, although a slight increase
in traffic volumes may offer part of the explanation."
Institute of Advanced Motorists' policy chief Neil Greig, meanwhile, called for motorcycle riders to play their part to help reduce road deaths: "The problem of death and serious injury among motorcycle riders remains, and we want to see more use of training opportunities and partnerships to improve both skills and attitudes."
Along with the road death figures, the DfT also released the financial cost of fatalities in 2013, estimated to be £14.7bn, or £1.7m per road death. That includes almost £1.9bn in lost output and £471m in medical and ambulance costs.
The overall £14.7bn figure also included £4.7bn in damage to property (which included damage to vehicles), £213m in police costs and £139m in insurance and administration costs.
But the largest figure, £7.3bn, was attributed to "human costs", a sum that, for example, takes into account the emotional impact of injury.
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