SMMT News

Sharp decline in road casualties last year

30 June 2005 #SMMT News

The Department of Transport has today published National Statistics on road casualties in Great Britain in 2004, which relate to casualties in accidents reported to the police.

Key results include:

The number of people killed in road accidents fell, by eight per cent from 3,508 in 2003 to 3,221 in 2004. 34,351 people were killed or seriously injured in 2004, eight per cent fewer than in 2003.

There were 280,840 road casualties in Great Britain in 2004, three per cent less than in 2003. Provisional figures indicate that road traffic levels were two per cent higher than in 2003 and consequently the provisional estimate was that the overall casualty rate per 100 million vehicle kilometres was five per cent lower than in 2003.

Child casualties fell by three per cent. The number of children killed or seriously injured in 2004 was 3,905 (down three per cent on 2003). Of those, 2,339 were pedestrians, two per cent down on 2003. 166 children died, three per cent less than in 2003.

Pedestrian casualties were 34,881 in 2004, four per cent lower than 2003. There were 671 pedestrian deaths, 13 per cent less than in 2003. Serious injuries fell by five per cent to 6,807.

There were 25,641 two-wheeled motor vehicle user casualties in 2004, ten per cent less than in 2003. The number of seriously injured decreased by 13 per cent to 6,063 and the number killed decreased by 16 per cent to 585.

The number of deaths among car users in 2004 was 1,671, six per cent less than in the previous year. The number of seriously injured fell by seven per cent to 14,473. Total casualties among car users were 183,858, two per cent lower than 2003.

Provisional traffic estimates indicate a one per cent rise in car and taxi traffic. There were 207,410 road accidents involving personal injury in 2004, three per cent less than in 2003. Of these, 26,748 accidents involved death or serious injury.


In 2004, the number of people killed or seriously injured was 28 per cent below the 1994-98 average; the number of children killed or seriously injured seriously injured was 43 per cent below the 1994-98 average; and provisional estimates show the slight casualty rate was 20 per cent below the 1994-98 average.

More from www.dft.gov.uk

Filter News

Update Newsletter