5 road safety stats that will shock you

Five of the most shocking road safety stats

Road Safety Week comes around every November, and as proud supporters of Brake, the road safety charity behind this initiative, we're shining a spotlight on some eye-opening statistics that might change how you drive.

With cars becoming smarter and safer every year, it's easy to think we're all protected by technology. But the reality? There's still a lot we can do behind the wheel to make our roads safer for everyone.

In 2024, 1,671 people lost their lives on UK roads, with another 28,804 seriously injured.

Let's take a look at five shocking road safety stats that might make you reconsider your driving habits.

59% of road deaths involve speed as a factor

The message is simple: don’t speed. Speed limits are there for a reason, don't ignore them.

Going over the limit might seem harmless.

But the reality is much more sobering than most of us realise. Police data from 2024 reveals just how deadly speed can be:

• Speed was recorded as a factor in 59% of all road deaths
• Exceeding the speed limit directly contributed to 21% of road fatalities
• Driving too fast for conditions (even within the limit) was responsible for 29% of deaths

Speed doesn't just increase the risk of a crash happening – it dramatically increases the severity of injuries when a collision does occur. At higher speeds:

• You have less time to react to hazards
• Your stopping distance increases significantly
• The impact force in a crash multiplies exponentially

Consider this: hitting a pedestrian at 30mph gives them a 20% chance of being killed. Increase that speed to just 35mph, and their risk of death more than doubles.

Not only is speeding dangerous, but it also uses more fuel and therefore more of your hard-earned money. Speeding even the slightest can dramatically increase your fuel consumption.

So, easing off the accelerator isn't just safer, it's smarter for your wallet too.

Remember: speed limits are maximums, not targets. The truly skilled driver adapts their speed to suit the conditions, regardless of what the speed limit sign says.

25% of car occupants killed weren't wearing seatbelts

Seatbelts have been a legal requirement in the UK since many of us were in nappies (in fact, before this author was even born!):

• Front seatbelts were made mandatory in 1983
• Rear seatbelts were made mandatory in 1991

In 2023, over 95% of people were buckled up in England. While this is only a small percentage of people who don't wear seatbelts, it shows just how vital it is to wear them.

A quarter of all car occupants killed in crashes weren't strapped in. The numbers become even more concerning when we look closer:

• 42% of car occupants under 16 who were killed weren't wearing seatbelts
• 39% of fatal collisions in the evening/night (6pm-8am) involved car occupants not wearing seatbelts

The maths doesn't lie. That small percentage of people who don’t buckle up are massively overrepresented in fatal crashes.

It takes just three seconds to click in your seatbelt – surely that's worth it for something that could save your life?

After all, your shiny new lease car comes with plenty of fancy tech, but none of it works as well as that simple belt across your chest.

Motorcyclists have a death/serious injury rate of 115/1,853 per billion miles

In a car, we have a metal box around us, providing us with a safety net, if you will. Motorcyclists, however, don't have this protection.

The 2024 statistics reveal just how vulnerable motorcyclists are on our roads:

• Motorcyclist death rate: 115 per billion miles travelled
• Motorcyclist serious injury rate: 1,853 per billion miles travelled

To put this in perspective, that's:

• 38 times higher than the death rate for car occupants (3 per billion miles)
• 43 times higher than the serious injury rate for car occupants (43 per billion miles)

Despite motorcycles making up only a small percentage of vehicles on our roads, they accounted for 340 deaths and 5,465 serious injuries in 2024. The majority of these casualties (215 deaths) were adults aged 25-59, though young riders aged 16-24 faced particularly high risks with 70 deaths.

Driving safely on a motorbike is crucial, but the responsibility extends to all road users. For car drivers, this means:

• Always check blind spots thoroughly before changing lanes
• Give motorcyclists plenty of space - they may need to manoeuvre suddenly to avoid hazards
• Remember that motorbikes can be easily hidden by other vehicles or road features
• Be especially vigilant at junctions, where half of motorcycle collisions occur

Whether you're on two wheels or four, awareness and respect for all road users saves lives.

Pedestrians account for 409 deaths and 5,823 serious injuries

It's not just collisions between vehicles that result in casualties, some of the most vulnerable road users are those on foot.

The 2024 statistics paint a concerning picture:

• 409 pedestrians lost their lives on UK roads
• Another 5,823 suffered serious injuries
• Nearly half (194) of pedestrian fatalities were adults aged 60+
• Children aren't immune either, with 20 deaths and 1,253 serious injuries among those aged 0-15

When we look at risk per distance traveled, pedestrians face a significantly higher danger than car occupants:

• Pedestrian death rate: 27 per billion miles traveled (compared to just three for car occupants)
• Pedestrian serious injury rate: 391 per billion miles traveled

These numbers highlight the importance of vigilance, both for drivers and pedestrians. For drivers, slowing down in residential areas, near schools, and in busy town centers can make a critical difference. A pedestrian hit at 30mph has a significantly better chance of survival than one hit at 35mph.

For pedestrians, particularly the elderly and children, using designated crossing points and remaining visible (especially after dark) can help reduce these statistics.

Remember that every journey involves sharing the road responsibly with all users, whether they're in vehicles or on foot.

The UK has 33% more road deaths per million population than Norway

When it comes to road safety, the UK performs well by European standards. We rank fourth safest among 32 European countries, with 24 deaths per million population. That's something to be proud of.

However, there's still significant room for improvement. Norway leads the way with just 16 deaths per million population - that's 33% lower than our figure. If we could match their safety record, we'd save hundreds of lives each year.

What makes the difference? 

Countries like Norway have embraced a "Vision Zero" approach, where road design, speed limits, enforcement and education all work together toward the goal of eliminating road deaths entirely. Their policies include:

• Lower urban speed limits
• Strict enforcement of driving laws
• Advanced driver training requirements
• Road infrastructure designed with safety as the priority
• Comprehensive cycling and pedestrian networks

While we've made good progress, the statistics show we can do better. The 1,671 lives lost on UK roads in 2024 weren't just numbers, they were people with families, dreams, and futures cut short.

By looking to best practices from countries leading the safety rankings, we can continue to make our roads safer for everyone who uses them.

Taking road safety into our own hands

Looking back to 2015, we have decreased road deaths by just 7%.

So despite all the fancy new safety tech hitting our cars, it hasn't lowered road incidents and fatalities by much.

This sobering reality reminds us that technology alone can't solve everything. Safe driving still comes down to the person behind the wheel.

These statistics paint a clear picture: from the dangers of speed to the life-saving importance of seatbelts, from the vulnerability of motorcyclists and pedestrians to the lessons we can learn from countries doing better than us – road safety is everyone's responsibility.

The good news? Small changes in how we drive can make a massive difference:

• Always respect speed limits and adjust for conditions
• Buckle up on every journey, no matter how short
• Give vulnerable road users extra space and attention
• Avoid distractions like mobile phones
• Never drive while tired or after drinking