Safeguarding children on Welsh roads: the 20 mph policy and the road ahead
From Transport Knowledge Wiki
 Journal article record
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| Title
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Safeguarding children on Welsh roads: the 20 mph policy and the road ahead
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| Journal
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 BMJ Paediatrics Open vol. 9 no. 1
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| Abstract
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Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5–29 years worldwide.1 In 2023, 59 children aged 0–15 years were fatally injured on UK roads, with a further 2337 seriously injured, equivalent to over a school class of children suffering serious, life-changing disabilities on a weekly basis.2 Vehicle speed is a cornerstone of road safety as it directly increases both the risk of a collision and severity of injury. The introduction of the national 20 mph legislation in Wales on 17 September 2023 led to an additional 12 000 km of 20 mph roads (increasing from 2% to 37% of total road length) and represented a crucial shift towards prioritising the needs of vulnerable road users, especially children, over the convenience of faster, more dangerous driving speeds.3 However, the legislation was met with considerable public opposition, and in July 2024, new guidance was issued to enable select roads in Wales to be reverted to 30 mph. While it remains to be seen whether local authorities’ fears of liability for future injuries will limit such increases, we believe these decisions must take a holistic view in which all likely impacts on the nation’s children are considered.
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| Authors
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 Samantha Turner Theodora Pouliou Richard Fry Ian Walker Ben Beck Oliver Thwaites Ronan Lyons
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| Date
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 April 2025
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| Keywords and locations
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| Keywords
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 Active travel Traffic Inclusivity
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| Locations
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 Wales
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| How to find and cite this journal article
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| Publication
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 10.1136/bmjpo-2024-003274
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| Access
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This journal article is open access and can be read for free as of 21 April 2025.
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| Citation
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Turner, S., Pouliou, T., Fry, R., Walker, I., Beck, B., Thwaites, O., & Lyons, R. A. (2025). Safeguarding children on Welsh roads: the 20 mph policy and the road ahead. BMJ Paediatrics Open, 9(1), e003274.
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