The government is currently facing criticism after it was revealed that road fatalities and casualties have increase year-on-year for the first time in over 30 years. In the year ending September 2014, there were 1,711 deaths and 24,360 killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties, a 4 per cent increase on 2013. Child KSI casualties also increased by more than 3 per cent during the same period.æ The total reported number of road casualties reached 192,910, a 5 per cent increase over the 184,087 reported in 2013. The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has expressed disappointment at the increase of people being killed and injured on British roads. Neil Greig, director of policy and research, said: 'It is disappointing that after many years of solid falls in the numbers of people killed and injured on our roads, the Government has taken its eye off the ball. 'These figures reflect our view that cuts in visible policing and road safety spending has had an impact, with a third successive quarter of increases.î He also added that the government had so far been riding its luck, and that the recession had helped to make previous year figures seem better than they were. 'Recent transport ministers have been lucky. The recession had slowed traffic growth, new car technology has delivered safer roads year on year and most accident black spots have now been engineered out of existence.î The RAC has also voiced concerns over the increase in casualties and fatalities.æ RAC head of external affairs Pete Williams said: 'It is alarming to see that years of progress on road safety appears to have come to an abrupt halt, and in fact we have witnessed the first year-on-year rise in road fatalities and casualties in over 30 years. 'Most worrying of all is that child fatalities and casualties in England and Wales are on the up for the first time since 1995 with the figures showing an increase in each quarter of 2014 over 2013 _ the first time in 20 years that we have witnessed a year-on-year increase. 'Similarly the increase in deaths and serious injuries among cyclists, 8% up in the year to September 2014, is a trend we cannot ignore.î