Road fatalities fall according to latest government figures

Road fatalities in the UK fell last year, according to new figures from The Department for Transport (DfT).

Data shows that there were 1,624 fatalities on the roads in Great Britain during 2023. This represents a fall of five per cent from 2022.

Meanwhile, a further 29,711 people were deemed as ‘killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties’ in 2023, which is similar to the data the previous year.

In total, there were 132,977 casualties of all severities – a decline of two per cent compared to 2022.

Road fatalities

RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said:

“Thankfully, this latest data shows overall casualty and fatality levels are down compared to 12 months earlier, and significantly down on a decade ago – despite a return to the number of miles being driven pre-pandemic.

“It also confirms that motorways are safer than any other type of road, especially compared to rural roads.

“But behind the headline figures there are some important points to note, such as the fact that men are far more likely to be killed or injured on our roads than women, and that pedestrian fatalities and those involving young people appear to be rising.

“Britain might have an enviable international reputation when it comes to road safety, but this latest data still shows there’s room for improvement. We hope the new government’s forthcoming road safety strategy will help to reduce fatality and casualty numbers further.”