More people working and commuting smarter will lead to the demise of the Fatal Friday Phenomenon, according to Work Wise UK on the last day of Commute Smart Week. The Annual Road Casualties report covering 2007 shows a drop in deaths and serious injuries at peak times on a Friday. Past statistics have shown that more accidents happen on a Friday, and particularly between the hours of 4pm and 6pm, than at any other time. Phil Flaxton, chief executive of Work Wise UK, said:
“The benefits of smarter working and commuting have been demonstrated throughout Commute Smart Week, now in its third year, and the messages are obviously getting through. More and more people are working flexibly and from home. That is why road traffic and congestion patterns are changing, especially on Fridays, a favourite day to work from home or to go home early. The fall in road accidents and deaths is a welcomed benefit of this success.”
Analysis by AA road safety experts has found that last year there were fewer people killed or seriously injured on Fridays from 8am to 9am and from 5pm to 6pm compared to the average rates for the same hours between Monday and Thursday. The AA and Work Wise UK believe that this may be due to a change in working patterns over the last eight years. The AA analysed peak period figures for accidents over the last eight years and found that the “Fatal Friday” phenomenon is on the decline in peak periods. In the past the higher accident rates in the Friday evening rush hour was put down to more traffic, tired drivers at the end of the week and the “Thank God its Friday” effect leading to lack of concentration. Edmund King, AA president, commented:
“Changes in our working patterns appear to be having an effect on the roads. In the past the Friday rush hour resulted in far more accidents but more flexible working seems to have diminished the fatal Friday phenomenon. Changing the way we work can change our lives in more ways than one. However, in overall terms Fridays on the road still experience the most delays and most deaths. Further increases in flexible working would result in fewer delays and fewer deaths.”
Stay in your garden office. It's a dangerous world out there
Hi Alex - I've just tried to email a link to you via the e-mail address here, but got a Mail Undeliverable message.
ReplyDeleteIt's just to tell you about Gardening Gone Wild's feature this month on shed and outbuilding design. There might be something on there that's useful?
I've also done a piece for it to include a link to here as a useful resource.
Cheers and here's the link:
http://www.gardeninggonewild.com/?p=2201