Increase in number of people killed on Scotland’s roads
Transport Scotland statisticians have released provisional figures for road casualties showing increases in all severities in 2022.
The figures show the total number of casualties rose by 9% between 2021 and 2022 (from 5,111 to 5,587), the third lowest number since annual records began in 1950. One hundred and seventy four people were killed in reported road collisions in Scotland in 2022, 33 more than in 2021, and the highest number since 2016. The number of people seriously injured was 1,759, 145 (9%) more than 2021.
Although the figures for serious, slight and all casualties in 2022 are higher than the previous two years where casualty numbers will have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated impacts on travel, they are still lower than those in 2019.
Compared to 2021, there were falls in reported casualties of 7% for pedal cyclists and 20% for both HGV and minibus users. However, there were increases in pedestrian casualties of 17%, car casualties of 9% and motorcyclist casualties of 2%.
Scotland’s current Road Safety Framework, contains four national targets for casualty reductions due for delivery in 2030. These targets compare performance to a 2014-2018 baseline.
|
Target |
2030 target reduction |
2022 achieved reduction |
|
People killed |
50% |
0% |
|
People seriously injured |
50% |
37% |
|
Children (aged < 16) killed |
60% |
17% |
|
Children (aged < 16) seriously injured |
60% |
34% |
The figures released today were produced by independent statistical staff free from any political interference, in accordance with professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
Background
The full statistical publication is available on the Transport Scotland website: http://bit.ly/KRRCS
The publication presents provisional statistics of injury road collisions (i.e. road collisions in which one or more people were killed or injured) in Scotland in 2022. Final figures will be published in Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2022 in October.
The Scottish Government recently published a new Road Safety Framework to 2030: Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2030 (transport.gov.scot)
Further information on Transport and Travel statistics within Scotland can be accessed at: Transport Scotland statistical publications
Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland can be accessed at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics