Key findings
- There were 5,788 road casualties reported in 2023. Of these, there were 155 fatalities, 1,930 people were seriously injured and 3,703 people were slightly injured.
- The number killed on Scotland’s roads fell from 171 in 2022 to 155 in 2023. This was the fourth lowest annual figure, and the second lowest recorded outwith the pandemic period of 2020 and 2021.
- Although there was a drop in fatalities, casualties of other severities increased in 2023: serious casualties rose by 9% (from 1,778 to 1,930); Slight casualties rose by 1% (from 3,681 to 3,703); and total casualties rose by 3% (from 5,630 to 5,788).
- Total casualties have now increased each year since 2020, but despite this are still at low levels historically. The number of casualties recorded in 2023 was the fourth lowest on record.
- Car users had the highest number of casualties in 2023 (3,385), followed by pedestrians (939) and motorcyclists (473).
- Pedestrian total casualties were up 3% from 2022 and pedestrian fatalities increased by 13 to 47.
- Cycling casualties fell by 16% but cycling fatalities increased from 2 to 7
- Motorcycle total casualties increased by 1% and there was one more fatality, up from 25 to 26.
- Car driver and passenger total casualties increased by 6% compared with 2022, but car fatalities fell by 38% from 98 to 61.
| Target | 2030 target reduction | 2023 reduction achieved |
|---|---|---|
| People killed | 50% | 11% |
| People seriously injured | 50% | 29% |
| Children (aged < 16) killed | 60% | 23% |
| Children (aged < 16) seriously injured | 60% | 33% |
Statistics in this publication are provisional. Final figures will be published in Reported Road Casualties Scotland in October 2024. Figures may change as a result of late returns and amendments to the data. These changes are likely to be small.