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Disabled Persons (Vehicles)

Volume 929: debated on Monday 28 March 1977

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asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list the number of (a) Minis, (b) Renault 4s and (c) other vehicles with automatic transmission issued to eligible disabled persons in each of the last 20 years;(2) if he will list the number of (

a) Minis, ( b) Renault 4s and ( c) other vehicles with manual transmission issued to eligible disabled persons in each of the last 20 years.

During 1976 the following new or reconditioned vehicles were issued:

Motor-cars

  • 1,190 Minis with manual gear change.
  • 545 Minis with automatic transmission.
  • 180 others (predominantly Renault 4)—all with manual gear change.

Three-wheelers

  • 211 with manual gear change.
  • 3,448 with automatic transmission.

The Renault 4 is not available with automatic transmission. All three-wheelers manufactured since the middle of 1971 have automatic transmission. Information in respect of earlier years could not be extracted without a disproportionate use of resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the cost of providing driving tuition in each of the last 20 years to disabled persons issued with (a) cars with manual transmission (b) cars with automatic transmission (c) invalid tricyles with manual transmission and (d) invalid tricycles with automatic transmission.

The information could not be extracted without a disproportionate use of resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish in the Official Report the full accident statistics relating to invalid tricycles with manual gearbox, automatic transmission, electrically-propelled models and four-wheeled vehicles, respectively, in England for the years ended 30th September 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976, respectively, listing all the information, under the categories as supplied by his Department for publication in Motor magazine on 14th August 1974;(2) if he will list the total number of injury accidents per 1,000 disabled drivers and the accident involvement rate resulting in injury to drivers per 100 million miles for England, for invalid tricycles with manual gearbox, automatic transmission and four-wheeled vehicles, respectively, for the years ended 30th September 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976, respectively;(3) if he will publish in the

Official Report the incidence of drivers injured in accidents involving invalid tricycles with manual gearbox, automatic transmission and electrically-propelled models, respectively, in England for the years ended 30th September 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976, respectively, under each appropriate type.

(4) if he will list in the Official Report the injury accident rate per million miles for invalid tricycles with manual gearbox, automatic transmission and four-wheeled vehicles, respectively, in England for the years ended 30th September 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976, respectively.

The information relating to the years ended 30th September 1973, 1974 and 1975 is set out in my replies to my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Mr. Lewis) on 29th October 1975 and 19th October 1976 and to the hon. Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 11th November 1975.—[Vol. 898, c. 522–6; Vol. 917, c. 389–90; Vol. 899, c. 632–4.]The following tables set out the information for the year ended 30th September 1976. Information relating to injury accidents involving invalid three-wheelers is now separately identified in the Digest of Statistics "Road Accidents Great Britain" published annually by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport and available from Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

DRIVER INJURY ACCIDENTS INVOLVING DEPARTMENTAL THREE-WHEELERS AND CARS REPORTED DURING THE YEAR ENDED 30TH SEPTEMBER 1976 ENGLAND

Per 1,000 drivers

*

Per million miles

Per 100 million miles

Three-Wheelers:
Manual174·46446
Automatic4012·951,295
Electric1411·671,167
All three-wheelers319·67967
Cars121·87187

Information about non-driver injuries is not recorded.

* Net figures relating to the number of drivers at risk at the end of the period which is smaller than the total number of drivers at risk during the period. The figure for car drivers does not include additional drivers who may share the driving with either the disabled person to whom the car is issued or the person nominated to drive for him. The numbers of such drivers are now known.

† Including reserve vehicles. Vehicle mileage covered has been estimated and it is assumed that manual and automatic petrol three-wheelers cover the same mileage.

ACCIDENTS INVOLVING DEPARTMENTAL CARS AND THREE-WHEELERS REPORTED DURING THE PERIOD 1ST OCTOBER 1975 TO 30TH SEPTEMBER 1976 ENGLAND

Type of vehicle

Vehicles at risk (000)†

Total accidents

Collision with another vehicle or pedestrian

Collision with immovable object

Overturned (including those allegedly blown over)

Fire

Others including theft, vandalism, damaged whilst parked

Fatalities

Manoeuvring

Travelling

Manoeuvring

Travelling

Model 70 3-wheelers11·93,7997901,08768435224046428
Other petrol 3-wheelers7·71,00427537469633401892
Electric 3-wheelers1·21613846391150220
All 3-wheelers20·74,9641,1031,507792426279485310
Departmental cars10·31,996428795102116125410

DRIVER CASUALTIES

Type of Injury

Three-Wheelers

Cars

Automatic

Manual

Electric

Minor cuts, bruises or concussion350741078
Severe cuts and bruises7919320
Broken ribs etc., necessitating admission to hospital3010119
Serious multiple injuries2002
Fatalities8200

INJURY ACCIDENTS INVOLVING DEPARTMENTAL CARS AND THREE-WHEELERS REPORTED DURING PERIOD 1ST OCTOBER 1975 TO 3RD SEPTEMBER 1976—ENGLAND

Total accidents

Collision with another vehicle or pedestrian

Collision with immovable object

Overturned (including those allegedly blown over

Fire

Others including theft, vandalism, damaged while parked

Manoeuvring

Travelling

Manoeuvring

Travelling

Three-Wheelers:
All accident injuries (excluding fatalities)578382821911911604
Minor cuts, bruises, concussion4343020612958803
Severe cuts, bruises, etc.1017516152200
Broken ribs/limb necessitating admission to hospital4112419501
Serious multiple injuries20100100
Fatalities100703000
Departmental Cars:
All accident injuries1191883311004
Minor cuts, bruises, concussion78135129003
Severe cuts, bruises, etc.2041501000
Broken ribs/limb necessitating admission to hospital1911511001
Serious multiple injuries20200000
Fatalities00000000
Including reserve vehicles. Fleet size at 30th September 1976.
Manoeuvring—D.H.S.S. vehicle in collision while parking.
Travelling—D.H.S.S. vehicle in collision while travelling on public road.