If we’re unfortunate enough to be in an accident, the Department of Transport no longer feels it is appropriate to call it an ‘accident’ and is removing the word from some of its publications.
The reason? According to transport professionals and families who have been affected by an ‘accident’, the word implies the collision was somehow unavoidable.
However, by using the word, critics say we’re all downplaying the accountability of those who may have caused an injury or even death while out driving.
Word play
As the AA’s Edmund King points out: “The fact that we see almost five deaths each day is an absolute tragedy. We must use everything we can to reduce this carnage.”
King explains that most crashes are not ‘accidents’ but are avoidable if you are actually paying attention while driving. “Describing every crash as an ‘accident’ in effect makes excuses for serious incidents,” he believes.
Research backs up this point of view with official government studies showing that over a third of Britain’s 1,700 fatal collisions a year are speed-related, i.e., exceeding the speed limit or travelling too fast for conditions. Other contributing factors include drink/drug driving.
Target audience
What does this all mean for you? As well as wanting to change the public’s perception of ‘accidents’, advocates for dropping the word also want to authorities to change as well; for example, National Highways and how it presents information, say, on its network of digital road signs that you see on motorways.
Acting on advice, the agency is now carrying out research with road users to source their thoughts before potentially changing its digital messaging so ‘accident’ is no longer displayed.
Ultimately, you may wonder if this is all really necessary but the head of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Cox, is adamant that, “words matter. They are integral to changing culture and reducing road danger. Therefore, we must stop using the word ‘accident’ when describing crashes”.
“[The word ‘accident’] implies it was just one of those things, it couldn’t be helped, or it was just bad luck. Instead, so often crashes are about a driver’s choice to be selfish, dangerous or reckless and as such we should describe it as a collision or crash. This allows for the public perception to appropriately consider driver choice and error.”
• Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Cox, NPCC
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