There was a four percent decline in the number of deaths recorded on UK roads last year compared with 2022. That’s according to the latest data published by the Department for Transport (DfT).
In 2023, 1,645 people were killed on Britain’s roads, while there were 132,063 casualties of all types: a decline of three percent compared with figures for 2022.
Shockingly, the government report also reveals that 75 percent of fatalities, and 61 percent of those hurt in road accidents, were male.
More miles, fewer fatalities
Comparing data from a decade ago, at first glance it appears the number of people killed on UK roads has changed little: a four percent decrease. However, vehicles travelled further in 2023 than in 2013. The DfT says that motorists travelled a total of 334 billion miles, up eight percent.
The biggest difference is the number of people slightly injured on British roads. This total was 102,420 in 2023 – a 32 percent decrease compared with 2013.
Compared with 2022 figures, the number of motorcyclists killed on UK roads fell by 12 percent – the largest decline across all road user categories – while car occupant fatalities declined by five percent. Pedal cyclist fatalities were also down seven percent, but pedestrian deaths rose by six percent.
‘A red flag to the government’
The RAC says the new DfT statistics should remind the next government about the importance of improving road safety.
“The larger proportion of pedestrian fatalities, which is now at its highest since before the pandemic, should be a red flag to the government, signifying just how dangerous our roads still are,” said Simon Williams, head of roads policy at the RAC.
“Any number of deaths on the road is too many, so we strongly encourage the new government not to take these figures lightly and to make road safety a priority. We continue to believe the government should reinstate road casualty reduction targets.”
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