Accident Prevention Without a Plan | Britain Deserves Better

Accidents are a preventable tragedy that continue to claim thousands of lives and cause serious injuries across the UK every year. Yet despite this, the government has failed to adopt a coherent, national strategy to tackle accident prevention in a truly coordinated, effective way.

The recent House of Lords debate on RoSPA’s (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) proposal for an individual minister to lead on accident prevention highlighted this ongoing failure. While the government acknowledges the need for better coordination, it has rejected appointing a dedicated minister, choosing instead to maintain a fragmented approach dispersed across multiple departments.

This is a missed opportunity, and a dangerous one at that. Accident prevention is a societal imperative that demands clear leadership at the highest levels. Without this, lives will continue to be lost unnecessarily, families devastated, and economic costs will grow.

The Real Societal Impact of Accidents

The statistics are stark and sobering. Thousands of fatalities and tens of thousands of injuries from accidents occur every year in homes, workplaces, on roads, and in public spaces. These are not isolated incidents but a widespread epidemic affecting people of all ages and backgrounds. The toll is human, financial, and social. The health and social care systems bear the burden of treating these injuries, while productivity suffers, and families are left grieving or coping with long-term disabilities.

RoSPA’s report Safer Lives, Stronger Nation, published last November, rightly calls out the government’s lack of strategic focus on accident prevention. It identifies a critical issue. Accident prevention efforts are fragmented, spread unevenly across numerous government departments and agencies, none of which have clear ownership or the authority to set a unified direction. This fragmentation inevitably results in patchy policies, gaps in action, duplication of effort, and ultimately, missed opportunities to save lives.

Government’s Response Falls Short

Baroness Sherlock, Minister of State at the Department for Work and Pensions, in the recent House of Lords debate, acknowledged the complexity of the problem and the government’s commitment to a “coherent, proportionate and responsive” approach. She highlighted some positive measures, such as the Health and Safety Executive’s 10-year strategy and improvements in accident data collection, alongside the upcoming road safety strategy.

Yet, this piecemeal progress masks a fundamental flaw: the absence of a dedicated leader with the authority to coordinate and drive accident prevention across departments and sectors. The government’s refusal to appoint a minister without portfolio specifically responsible for accident prevention is a glaring omission. Without someone empowered to convene cross-departmental committees, influence policy beyond silos, and ensure accountability at Cabinet level, the government’s actions will remain fragmented and reactive rather than proactive and strategic.

Why a National Strategy and Dedicated Minister Are Essential

RoSPA’s proposal for a national accident prevention strategy led by an individual minister is not bureaucratic overreach; it’s a common-sense solution. Accident prevention, by its nature, cuts across health, transport, education, housing, industry, environment, and many other sectors. This complexity demands a high-level leader who can look holistically at risks, prioritise resources effectively, and champion prevention as a national cause.

A national strategy would unify disparate policies under a common framework, align targets, and ensure accountability. It would facilitate data sharing and the use of evidence-based interventions, creating a cycle of continuous improvement. It would also empower local authorities, industry, and voluntary organisations by providing clear guidance and leadership.

Furthermore, a minister without portfolio can bring accident prevention into the Cabinet room, elevating it from a technical issue to a political imperative. This is crucial if we want government policy and spending decisions to reflect the real cost of accidents, not just in economic terms but in human lives.

Examples of What’s Possible with Coordinated Leadership

We must, absolutely, acknowledge the progress that has been made.

Internationally, countries that have taken a strategic, government-led approach to accident prevention have seen measurable improvements. New Zealand’s “Safe System” approach to road safety is a prime example; coordinated leadership, clear targets, and multi-sector collaboration have dramatically reduced road deaths over the past two decades.

Closer to home, the Health and Safety Executive’s 10-year strategy offers a blueprint for effective cross-sector collaboration. It demonstrates that with clear leadership and coordination, progress can be made across workplace safety, chemical regulation, environmental protection, and technology adoption.

However, these successes are limited without an overarching accident prevention strategy that integrates all domains of risk, including road safety, workplace accidents, home accidents, fire safety, and emerging threats such as those from climate change and new technologies.

The Cost of Inaction

The government’s current approach risks maintaining the status quo, lives lost, injuries sustained, and costs incurred. The economic burden of accidents on the NHS, social care, employers, insurers, and families is enormous, running into billions annually. Beyond money, there is the emotional and social cost: the suffering of individuals and their loved ones, lost potential, and the wider impact on communities.

In a time when government resources are already stretched, investing in prevention is a necessity. Prevention saves money in the long run by reducing demand on services and improving quality of life. But it requires joined-up thinking and leadership, something the government currently lacks.

A Call to Action

The evidence, expertise, and public will for a national accident prevention strategy exist. RoSPA’s detailed proposals show a clear path forward. The government’s hesitation to appoint a minister to lead this effort is short-sighted and risks undermining all other progress.

We urge the government to:

• Appoint a minister without portfolio dedicated to accident prevention to provide clear leadership and accountability across departments.
• Develop and publish a comprehensive national accident prevention strategy with measurable targets, informed by robust data.
• Ensure collaboration between all stakeholders, government, local authorities, industry, voluntary sector, and the public, to implement effective, evidence-based interventions.
• Prioritise prevention as a national health and safety priority alongside other public health agendas.
• Recognise and prepare for emerging risks such as climate change, artificial intelligence, and autonomous technologies.

The safety of the nation depends on it. Lives will continue to be lost every day that leadership on accident prevention is lacking. The government must stop treating accident prevention as a peripheral issue and make it central to its public safety mission. The cost of delay is simply too high.

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