UK road safety progress slows as casualty figures reveal growing concerns

New government figures show that while road deaths across Great Britain have fallen slightly, the number of serious injuries has increased, raising fresh concerns about the direction of road safety policy.

Provisional data for 2025 estimates that 1,556 people lost their lives in road collisions, representing a 3% reduction compared with 2024. However, the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSIs) rose by 4% year-on-year to 29,911.

Total casualty numbers remained largely stable at 127,870.

Serious injuries continue to increase

Although fatality numbers have declined, the rise in serious injuries suggests that overall improvements in road safety may be slowing.

According to the latest government statistics, serious injuries increased to 28,355 in 2025, up 4% from the previous year. Compared with 2015, the total number of KSIs remains 7% lower, while all casualties are down by 31%.

Cyclists and motorcyclists among highest-risk groups

The figures show notable differences between various types of road users, with cyclists and motorcyclists seeing some of the sharpest increases in risk.

Motorcyclist deaths rose by 13% to 384 in 2025, marking the second consecutive annual increase. Meanwhile, cycling-related casualties climbed by 10% to 16,027 — the largest rise recorded among all road user groups.

Pedestrian deaths fell by 9% to 372, although injury levels for pedestrians remain significant.

The data indicates that vulnerable road users, particularly those outside cars, continue to account for a disproportionate share of serious injuries and fatalities.

Officials said it remains unclear whether the increase in motorcyclist deaths represents a longer-term trend, but the figures are likely to intensify calls for stronger rider protection measures and road safety enforcement.

Among other groups:

• Car occupant deaths fell 8% to 638
• Goods vehicle occupant fatalities dropped 10% to 44
• Bus and coach occupant deaths increased to five
• Deaths involving occupants of other vehicle types rose by 19%

Older age groups increasingly represented in fatalities

Men accounted for 77% of all road deaths recorded during 2025.

Fatalities among male road users were spread relatively evenly across the 17–29, 30–49 and 50–69 age categories. However, long-term trends show deaths among younger and middle-aged men have declined over the past decade, while fatalities involving men aged 50 and above have increased.

For women, the highest number of fatalities was recorded among those aged 70 and over. Despite this, female fatalities have decreased across all age groups since 2015, with the largest reductions seen among younger women.

Overall, the figures suggest that while road deaths have generally declined over time, older people now account for a growing proportion of fatalities.

E-scooter use creates additional safety concerns

The increasing use of e-scooters is also contributing to changing road safety patterns.

In 2025, there were an estimated 1,484 casualties involving e-scooters, including 10 fatalities.

As micromobility becomes more common in urban areas, questions remain over whether infrastructure and safety regulations are evolving quickly enough to keep pace.

Pressure grows over safety targets

The UK government’s updated road safety strategy, published in 2026, includes targets to cut serious casualties by 65% by 2035 and reduce child serious injuries by 70% before 2030.

However, the latest casualty figures highlight the scale of the challenge facing policymakers. While long-term fatality rates have improved, the increase in serious injuries suggests existing measures may not be sufficient to achieve future targets.

Road safety campaigners have argued that stronger action could be needed in areas including enforcement, driver education and the protection of vulnerable road users.

RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: “Once again, this data shows that precious little progress has been made in reducing harm caused on our roads – and firmly underlines why the government’s Road Safety Strategy is so critical.”

Further details are available on the UK Government road casualty statistics page.