The UK is to get its first-ever Road Safety Investigation Branch, dedicated to preventing future road collisions, including from self-driving and electric cars.  

The Road Safety Investigation Branch will make independent safety recommendations and shape future road safety policy

Following years of lobbying from road safety campaigners, the Department for Transport has confirmed it will recruit a specialised team of inspectors to join the RSIB, making independent safety recommendations and shaping future road safety policy.  

The branch will investigate themes in the causes of collisions, as well as specific incidents of concern, to learn valuable road safety lessons. It will make independent safety recommendations to organisations, such as government and police forces, to better shape the future of road safety policy.

The specialised unit, which will be legislated for in the forthcoming Transport Bill, will also provide vital insight into safety trends related to new and evolving technologies, which could include self-driving vehicles, e-scooters and electric vehicles, ensuring new technology is deployed safely.   

However, it will not identify blame or liability in collisions and police investigation will still be required.   

A consultation held at the end of 2021 found overwhelming support for the creation of such a branch, as well as for its powers and responsibilities.  

Roads Minister Baroness Vere said: “The UK may have some of the safest roads in the world, but tragedies still happen and any injury or death on our road network is one too many.  

“That’s why we’re establishing the road safety investigation branch, so we can boost safety for road users even further and also bring safety measures in line with other modes of transport and the future of travel.”  

Although road collisions lead to significantly more deaths in Great Britain than those caused by other modes of transport, there is currently no independent body to investigate road incidents and their causes. This new move will bring road safety into line with similar independent bodies that already exist for air, maritime and rail accidents.   

Currently, data and evidence are collated using in-depth study programmes, the Collision Reporting and Sharing System (CRASH), Forensic Collision Investigation reports and Prevention of Future Death reports.  

The Government expects the RSIB to use this data alongside that from insurance companies, vehicle manufacturers, the emergency services and the NHS to add to the body of evidence on incident causes and improve road safety interventions nationwide.  

A project by the RAC Foundation, funded by the Government and National Highways, has previously found a strong case for more in-depth investigations of death and injury on the roads.  

RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said the organisation was delighted with today’s announcement and added: “We look forward to working further with the Government to get the branch set up and make our roads safer still.”