The next blog will focus on the high incidence of long-term ill-health amongst long distance drivers due to several factors. Today the focus is on accidents. often due to driving for too many hours.
In 2018 alone there were 1,793 fatalities 24,831 seriously injured, 144,369 slightly injured (Government). During and after the pandemic deaths declined and in 2023 there were 1,633 fatalities, with 29,429 killed or seriously injured (Gov.UK)
The involvement of HGVs was often mentioned in passing so the writer investigated all traffic accidents mentioned on the radio for 6 days in 2018
3.9.19 – The M6 northbound between J14 (Stafford) and J16 (Stoke-on-Trent) is now open following an earlier HGV fire (The Business Desk).
5.8.19 – There are severe delays on the M6 southbound between Junction 16 and Junction 15 due to two lanes being closed following an HGV fire. The fire has been extinguished and the vehicle is now awaiting recovery. Delays are currently about an hour with congestion back to J16 approximately seven miles (Stoke Sentinel).
6.8.19 – An HGV driver has died following a collision on the M6 which saw his lorry burst into flames after colliding with a safety barrier (Coventry Telegraph).
9.8.19 – A crash involving an HGV. Police officers are currently dealing with the collision between J25 and J24 near Taunton (Bristol Post)
11.9.19 – M6 shut after lorry crash between J12 and J13, near Cannock
Three lanes reopened southbound just after 12:30
Northbound to remain closed most of day
The HGV hit the central reservation and later caught fire (BBC).
13.8.19 – The A38 is closed in both directions, between the A513 near Fradley and B5016 near Burton on Trent due to a crash and an overturned HGV. Around 40 tonnes of grain have been spilled on the carriageway (Business Desk).
As the chief engineers and planning officers say, “Any reduction in the number of road vehicles or road miles will help to alleviate the impacts of freight traffic on road safety . In addition, by the very nature of canals, use of waterway freight would segregate freight traffic from pedestrians, vulnerable road users and other vehicles” (CEPOG Canal Freight survey feasibility 2007 photostat copy available on application).
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Inland Waterway Freight 
These are all valid points and they are very interesting – but only if you give a damn. How do we get our politicians, who patently don’t give a damn, interested enough to do anything about this?
There have been about 27 reports commissioned by Government that all recommend modal shift from road to water and every one has been ignored by Government. How can we make their response to this article going to be any different?