Written question asked by Paul Rowen (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 21 March 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 26 March 2007. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Monday, 16 April 2007 on behalf of the Home Office.

Roads: Accidents

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many car accidents involving a pedestrian being injured or killed (a) resulted in police successfully prosecuting a motorist and (b) were hit and run cases with no one apprehended in each of the last five years; and what the average sentence was in each prosecution.

Answer: [holding answer 26 March 2007]: While the Department for Transport monitors details of road traffic accidents including 'hit and run', this information is not linked with details of any subsequent arrests and prosecutions.Information collected on the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform does not identify the type of vehicle and casualty (i.e. pedestrian, driver or passenger) involved in road traffic accidents where proceedings have been brought.Information held on the database on the number of prosecutions and findings of guilt for 'accident' offences under the Road Traffic Act 1988 section 170(4) and (7) does not distinguish between those offences which resulted in injury from those which resulted in damage or both.

Secondary information