5. Casualties by Type of Road (Table 3)

5. Casualties by Type of Road (Table 3)

5.1 In 2019, non built-up roads (roads with a speed limit of over 40mph, see paragraph 11.4 for more detail) accounted for two-fifths of the total number of reported casualties (42%: 3,175 out of 7,594). However, they accounted for over two-thirds of those killed (68%: 114 out of 168) and almost half the total number of seriously injured (48%: 953 out of 2001). This will be at least in part due to the higher average speed, as non built-up roads are those with a speed limit greater than 40 mph.  These roads also make up two-thirds of Scotland’s road network.

5.2 Compared with the 2004-08 average, total casualties on non built-up roads and built-up roads have reduced by similar proportions (56% and 55% respectively.) However, the reduction in fatalities on non built-up roads was greater (at 46%) than for non built-up roads (at 34%).

Table 3: Casualties by built-up and non built-up roads, mode of transport and severity, 2017-2019 and 2004-08 average
Mode of Transport Built-up roads Non built-up roads All roads
Killed Serious All Killed Serious All Killed Serious All
Pedestrian
2004-08 average 46 609 2,723 18 47 133 65 656 2,855
2017  26 357 1,298 12 23 65 38 380 1,363
2018  25 338 1,199 9 24 57 34 362 1,256
2019 3 prov. 34 450 1,180 12 32 63 46 482 1,243
% change on 2018 3 * .. -2% * .. 11% * .. -1%
on 04-08 average 3 * .. -57% * .. -52% -29% .. -56%
Pedal cycle
2004-08 average 5 111 673 4 23 83 9 134 756
2017  3 132 634 2 39 94 5 171 728
2018  2 119 555 4 38 83 6 157 638
2019 3 prov. 2 151 494 6 27 70 8 178 564
% change on 2018 3 * .. -11% * * -16% * .. -12%
on 04-08 average 3 * .. -27% * * -16% * .. -25%
Motor cycle
2004-08 average 6 159 561 36 212 489 42 371 1,049
2017  3 119 316 26 162 304 29 281 620
2018  5 97 302 28 186 338 33 283 640
2019 3 prov. 6 110 258 19 169 261 25 279 519
% change on 2018 3 * .. -15% * .. -23% * .. -19%
on 04-08 average 3 * .. -54% * .. -47% * .. -51%
Car
2004-08 average 21 337 4,762 141 920 5,844 162 1,258 10,606
2017  7 191 2,835 57 471 2,872 64 662 5,707
2018  9 195 2,412 66 473 2,673 75 668 5,085
2019 3 prov. 7 274 2,088 71 658 2,469 78 932 4,557
% change on 2018 3 * .. -13% 8% .. -8% 4% .. -10%
on 04-08 average 3 * .. -56% -50% .. -58% -52% .. -57%
Bus/Coach
2004-08 average 0 50 669 0 5 80 1 55 749
2017  2 18 278 0 5 79 2 23 357
2018  0 27 208 2 8 22 2 35 230
2019 3 prov. 3 20 163 0 3 32 3 23 195
% change on 2018 3 * .. -22% * .. * * .. -15%
on 04-08 average 3 * .. -76% * .. -60% * .. -74%
Other modes of transport
2004-08 average 4 42 489 10 90 591 14 132 1,080
2017  3 23 318 4 54 340 7 77 658
2018  2 25 242 9 54 333 11 79 575
2019 3 prov. 2 43 236 6 64 280 8 107 516
% change on 2018 3 * .. -2% * .. -16% * .. -10%
on 04-08 average 3 * .. -52% * .. -53% * .. -52%
All casualties
2004-08 average 82 1,309 9,877 209 1,297 7,220 292 2,605 17,097
2017  44 840 5,679 101 754 3,754 145 1,594 9,433
2018  43 801 4,918 118 783 3,506 161 1,584 8,424
2019 3 prov. 54 1,048 4,419 114 953 3,175 168 2,001 7,594
% change on 2018 3 * .. -10% -3% .. -9% 4% .. -10%
on 04-08 average 3 -34% .. -55% -46% .. -56% -42% .. -56%

1 Figures for 2017 and earlier years may differ slightly to those previously published due to late returns, or corrections to earlier returns.

2 * indicates that a percentage change is not shown because the denominator is 50 or fewer. 

3 Due to changes in severity reporting, the number of serious casualties cannot be compared directly to those reported in previous years. These % change figures for serious casualties have therefore been omitted.