Publication of Road Safety issues in Northern Ireland, 2020/21

The Road Safety Issues in Northern Ireland 2020/2021 report is now available.

This report, produced by the Analysis, Statistics and Research Branch (ASRB) of the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), presents findings from the 2020/2021 Continuous Household Survey (CHS). 

The publication is available on the ASRB website at:

• Road safety issues in Northern Ireland

KEY POINTS

• Almost two-thirds of all drivers (64%) reported that they used their phone in some capacity while driving a car.
• Over half of all drivers (55%) reported that they used their phone to make a hands-free call while driving.
• Just over one in twenty of all drivers (6%) reported that they used their phone to make a hand held call while driving.
• Older drivers were identified as the group who were least likely to use their phone while driving with just over a third (34%) of those aged 65 or over admitting to have done so in the last 12 months.
• Less than half (48%) of respondents believe that drivers were likely to be stopped by police for using their mobile phone while driving.

Notes to editors: 

1. The information presented in this publication derives from the 2020/2021 Continuous Household Survey (CHS) in relation to the attitudes, awareness and behaviours of respondents to specific road safety issues. The topics ask if and how people interact with their mobile phone while driving in either a moving or stationary vehicle and their perceived likelihood of being caught by police while using a hand-held mobile phone while driving.
   
   The information presented in this publication derives from the 2020/2021 Continuous Household Survey (CHS).  The CHS is considered to be a representative sample of the population at household level. A total of 1,855 adults aged 16 and over were surveyed in 2020/2021 with 1,841 providing responses to at least one of the road safety questions.
    
2. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, data collection for the 2020/21 survey moved from face-to-face interviewing to telephone mode with a reduction in the number of questions. The results from the CHS 2020/21 are not directly comparable to previous years due to the significant changes to the survey in terms of methodology and content. The output from the survey, in terms of the range and depth of topics covered, has been reduced from that of previous years, with the subsequent capacity for detailed analysis constrained.
    
3. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) and its Road Safety Partners are committed to promoting improved road safety, and to deliver better regulation of the transport sector. ASRB undertakes an annual programme of research and statistical investigations into road safety problems in Northern Ireland, developed and implemented in collaboration with Road Safety policy side. The results from this report form part of that research programme.
    
4. Other Road Safety research produced can be found at:

•  Road safety research

Additional Road Safety statistics including the Road Safety Strategy Annual Monitoring Report can be found at:

•  Northern Ireland Road Safety Strategy to 2020 statistics

5. This is an Official Statistics publication and therefore follows the Code of Practice for Statistics.  
6. For further information please contact:

• Tel (public enquiries): 028 9054 0029 (Text relay prefix 18001)
• E-mail: ASRB@nisra.gov.uk 
• Website: Statistics and research

7. All media queries should be directed to the Department for Infrastructure Press Office at: press.office@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk .
    
8. Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.
    
9. Follow the Department on Twitter @deptinfra and on Facebook @DepartmentforInfrastructure

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