Increase in number of people killed on Scotland’s roads amidst fall in accidents

One hundred and sixty eight people were killed in reported road accidents in Scotland in 2019, seven more than in 2018. This increase came despite a 12% drop in the number of accidents where people were killed or injured.

Transport Scotland Statisticians today released provisional headline figures for road casualties reported to the police in Scotland in 2019.  The figures show the total number of casualties fell by 10% between 2018 and 2019 (from 8,424 to 7,594), the lowest number since annual records began in 1950.  The number of people seriously injured was 2,001.

The figures show that in 2019 there were 759 reported child casualties, a decrease of 1% since 2018.  This included two fatalities, (one fewer than 2018), and 196 children who were seriously injured.

In 2019 there were eight pedal cyclists killed, two more than in 2018, and 12 more pedestrian fatalities. There were eight fewer motorcyclists killed and three more car user fatalities.

Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020 contains five national targets for casualty reductions by 2020. Currently available data allows us to measure progress against three targets; progress against all targets will be published in October 2020:

• 168 people were killed in 2019, a reduction of 42% since the baseline (performance currently exceeding the 2020 target of a 40% reduction)
• 2,001 people were seriously injured in 2019. Due to the changes in the recording of casualty severities, progress against this target is measured on the basis of adjusted figures, which show a reduction of 33% from the baseline (performance not currently on track to meet the 2020 target of a 55% reduction).
• On average, there were two children killed each year between 2017 and 2019: a reduction of 85% from the baseline (performance currently exceeding the 2020 target of a 50% reduction)

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.

The full statistical publication is available on the Transport Scotland website.