6. Casualties by Mode of Transport (Table 3)
Key Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2018
6. Casualties by Mode of Transport (Table 3)
6.1 Figures on numbers of casualties by mode should be compared with data on mode use since changes could be due to more or fewer people travelling by a particular mode. Information on mode use is published in the road traffic or personal travel sections of Scottish Transport Statistics (STS). Department for Transport (DfT) traffic estimates[1] showed that car traffic increased by 6% and motorcycle/moped traffic volume increased by 3% between 2014 and 2018.
6.2 In 2018 there were 5,069 car users reported injured in road accidents; three fifths of all road casualties (60%: 5,069 out of 8,402) and an 11% fall from 2017. Of these, 75 were killed and 666 seriously injured (increases of 17% and 1% from 2017 respectively). Non built-up roads accounted for half of all car user casualties (52%: 2,659 out of 5,069) but a much higher percentage of car user fatalities (88%: 66 out of 75) and those seriously injured (71%: 471 out of 666). Again, this is likely due in part to higher average speeds on these types of roads.
6.3 There were 1,250 pedestrian casualties recorded in 2018, a seventh of all casualties (15%: 1,250 out of 8,402) and down by 113 (8%) since 2017. Three per cent of pedestrian casualties were killed (33 out of 1,250) and 29% seriously injured (362 out of 1,250). Ninety-five per cent of pedestrian casualties occurred on built-up roads (1,193 out of 1,250). Fifty-eight per cent of pedestrian casualties on non built-up roads were killed or seriously injured (33 out of 57) compared with 30% on built-up roads (362 out of 1,193).
6.4 Together, all other modes of transport accounted for a quarter (25%) of casualties in 2018 (2,083 out of 8,402), for a slightly higher proportion of those killed (33%: 52 out of 160) and a third of those seriously injured (35%: 553 out of 1,581).
6.5 Pedal cycle casualty numbers in 2018 decreased by 12% and motorcycle casualties increased by 3%. In 2018, 640 motorcycle casualties were reported, of whom 283 (44% and an increase of 1% on 2017) suffered serious injuries, 33 died, an increase of 4 on 2017. There were 638 pedal cyclist casualties recorded in 2018, 156 (24% and a decrease of 9% on 2016) were seriously injured and 6 died (one more than in 2017). There are now more cyclists on the roads, which will likely impact on cycling casualty numbers. There was an increase of 15% in pedal cycle traffic in the last ten years according to traffic estimates provided by DfT1.
6.6 A total of 230 bus and coach users were reported injured (a decrease of 36% on 2017), of whom 35 (12 more than 2017) were seriously injured, two died.