Should We Celebrate The Fall In Convictions For Serious Driving Offences?

- 

As cyclists we’re all acutely aware of how vulnerable on the road we are. So statistics released last month showing that there has been a marked downturn in the number of convictions for serious driving offences should be welcome news as they seem to indicate the streets are getting safer for vulnerable road users. But is that the case?

What has happened? 

Figures released by the Department for Transport last month showed a 35 percent drop in the number of motorists convicted of 28 different types of dangerous, careless, or drunken driving offences between 2011 and 2016. The annual number of convictions fell from 276,000 to 179,000 over the period.

What’s bad about it?