Roads getting safer or more dangerous ?

[thedoc46]

This really isn't for the motors forum. Reason i ask here, is cos everyone is affected. Drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, motorcycles... Anyway, since everyone this day and age is on their phone.. Have our roads, become more dangerous than ever?

I know the dept of transport keeps number of how many fatalities and accidents there have been.

smart phones came out nearly ten yrs ago..

mobiles prior to the mid 90's were seldom in use. So has there been a gradual increase in fatalities and accidents since then or have the numbers stayed on par ?

Just curious

 

[thedoc46]

I pulled the following chart from offline. What it doesn't detail tho, is cars are getting safer. ESC, anti lock, better airbags, just better safety all round... Yet, more people are on their mobiles, facetiming texting and god knows what else... If people didn't use their phones, i'm guessing there would be a much steeper drop ?