Deaths on Britain’s roads INCREASED last year with a 9% rise in motorcyclist fatalities
Motorcyclist deaths in Britain increased by 9 per cent last year, sparking a rise in road fatalities for the first time in over half a decade, provisional Department for Transport (DfT) figures revealed on Thursday.
Some 343 motorbike riders lost their lives in crashes in 2024, up from 315 during the previous 12 months.
As such, motorcyclists made up a fifth (21 per cent) of road fatalities last year.
There was also an increase in pedestrian deaths, up 2 per cent from 405 in 2023 to 413 in 2024.
The total number of people killed on Britain's roads last year was 1,633. This is a 1 per cent increase on the 1,624 who lost their lives in 2023.
With 2020 and 2021 statistics considered outliers due to pandemic-related lockdowns dramatically reducing traffic levels, this is the first increase in annual road deaths recorded since 2017.
A 9% increase in motorcyclists fatalities last year has triggered the first rise in annual road deaths since 2017
Taking 2020 and 2021 as outliers, road casualties in Britain have flatlined for a decade - now safety groups want to see the Government roll out new measures to tackle the issue
The provisional data published by the department showed that men are far more at risk on our roads, the data obtained from police forces across the county shows.
In 2024, three quarters of fatalities were males - and three in five of casualties of all severities were men.
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The report has highlighted ongoing concerns regarding consecutive governments' failure to dramatically reduce the number of deaths on the country's roads.
Not since 2011 has there been a significant fall in the number of annual fatalities.
In 2017, 1,793 road deaths were recorded, up one case from 1,792 seen a year earlier.
Compared to a decade earlier, the 1,633 deaths on Britain's roads in 2024 was an 8 per cent fall from the 1,775 seen in 2014.
Some 343 motorbike riders lost their lives in crashes in 2024, up from 315 during the previous 12 months. As such, motorcyclists made up a fifth of road fatalities last year
There was also an increase in pedestrian deaths, up 2% from 405 in 2023 to 413 in 2024, the DfT statistics show
In 2024, three quarters of fatalities were males - and three in five of casualties of all severities were men. As these charts show, younger men are more likely to be killed or injured. For female casualties, older women over 70 years of age have a higher statistical death count on the roads
Road deaths in Britain
2014: 1,775 (+4% year on year)
2015: 1,730 (-3%)
2016: 1,792 (+4%)
2017: 1,793 (+0.1%)
2018: 1,784 (-1%)
2019: 1,752 (-2%)
2020*: 1,460 (-17%)
2021*: 1,558 (+7%)
2022*: 1,711 (+10%)
2023: 1,624 (-5%)
2024 (provisional): 1,633 (+1%)
Source: DfT
*outliers due to Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns reducing traffic levels
While Britain boasts some of the safest roads in Europe and across the globe, motoring groups and charities say more needs to be done to tackle a decade-long run of flatlining statistics.
AA president Edmund King said: 'Every death on our roads is a tragedy, and sadly we are still losing at least four people a day.
'If this level of loss was experienced on any other form of transport, there would be a national inquiry and public outcry.
'Yet, for some reason, we seem to accept this as the risk of moving around our communities.
This should not be the case.'
Mr King called for the Government's upcoming road safety strategy to include 'bold action' such as harsher penalties for not wearing a seatbelt or drug-driving.
He also stressed the need to 'safeguard newly qualified drivers' to ensure they feel confident on the road before 'exposing them to additional risks' such as carrying passengers of a similar age.
Some 710 car occupants died in road traffic collisions in 2024, which is 2% fewer than the year previous
Motoring groups have said the Government's promises 'Road Safety Strategy' can't come soon enough with figures showing no significant decline in road deaths since 2011
RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis described the figures as 'alarming'.
He said: 'This data is yet more evidence of the need for a renewed focus on saving lives on the roads, so we look forward to the publication of the Government's road safety strategy.'
Labour is said to be 'actively considering' adopting EU rules to mandate a host of safety technology in all new cars sold in the UK as part of its strategy to curb the number of deaths on Britain's roads.
Labour 'considers' adopting EU rules forcing all new cars to have these 19 safety systems
More than five years after Brexit, ministers say they are in the process of determining which of 19 safety systems required for models sold in Europe since last summer are 'right for Britain', despite UK motorists describing some of the features as 'dangerous, distracting and useless'.
The European Union's 'New Vehicle General Safety Regulation' - also known as GSR2 or Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 - came into effect across Europe on 7 July 2024.
It demands that all motor vehicles must have a suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including the likes of Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA)[1], Emergency Lane Keeping Systems (ELKS) and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB).
Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards at road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, said: 'These figures demonstrate a troubling lack of progress in bringing down fatal and serious injuries on our road network.
'Moreover, 2024 saw a significant increase in the number of motorcyclists that were killed, highlighting that more needs to be done to protect some of the most vulnerable road users.
'The Government's updated road safety strategy cannot come soon enough.'
Conclusive road casualty numbers of 2024 are due to be published in September.
The DfT figures were published on the same day the AA raised more concerns about the safety of smart motorways[2] after National Highways stats showed that vehicle breakdown rates are nearly three times higher than they are on conventional motorways
References
- ^ Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) (www.thisismoney.co.uk)
- ^ AA raised more concerns about the safety of smart motorways (www.thisismoney.co.uk)