Road deaths (Great Britain)

Source: Department for Transport (DfT), series Reported road fatalities, all road users, Great Britain (RAS0101). Provisional annual results in late May and final results in late July (30 July 2026 for 2025); the RAS0101 table gives its next update as July 2027. Table file URLs change with each update

What it measures

Road deaths are people killed in collisions on public roads in Great Britain that were reported to the police and recorded in the STATS19 system, where the person died within 30 days. Collisions must involve at least one vehicle, horse rider or pedal cyclist. Deaths more than 30 days after a collision, suicides and deaths from natural causes are excluded. Fatal collisions are almost always reported, so this is the most complete of DfT's casualty counts; non-fatal injuries are often not reported to police. Northern Ireland is covered by separate PSNI statistics.

How to read it

Because the numbers are relatively small, one-year changes can be within normal variation, so look at several years. Rates per billion vehicle miles (4 fatalities in 2025) account for changes in traffic. Killed or seriously injured (KSI) figures are adjusted for changes in how some police forces record severity, so use the adjusted series for trends. Motorcyclists accounted for 25% of road deaths but 1% of traffic in 2025. For international comparisons, use deaths per head of population for the same year; DfT ranked Great Britain 4th lowest among countries with 2025 data.

Background

National road casualty data was first collected in 1926, when 4,886 deaths were recorded. DfT's tables show the highest number of road deaths was 9,196 in 1941, and the highest after the Second World War was 7,985 in 1966. Deaths have more than halved since 2004. In 2025 there were 1,538 reported road deaths, 4% fewer than the 1,602 in 2024 and the lowest outside the years affected by the pandemic, while 29,918 people were killed or seriously injured, 4% more than in 2024.

Other parts of the UK

Transport Scotland: statistics (including reported road casualties Scotland) · Welsh Government: police recorded road collisions · Department for Infrastructure Northern Ireland: road safety

How many people die on UK roads each year?

DfT reported 1,538 road deaths in Great Britain in 2025, published on 30 July 2026. That was 4% fewer than 2024. Northern Ireland's road deaths are published separately by the PSNI and the Department for Infrastructure and need adding for a UK total.

How many road deaths are there per day in Britain?

The 2025 total of 1,538 is an average of about four deaths a day. DfT publishes annual and provisional mid-year figures rather than daily counts.

What is the biggest cause of road deaths?

STATS19 records contributory factors chosen by the attending police officer, and DfT publishes them in its risk behaviours and circumstances chapter. More than one factor can be recorded, and they reflect the officer's judgement rather than investigation findings.

Are road deaths going down?

Over the long run, yes: deaths in Great Britain have more than halved since 2004, and 2025 was 4% lower than 2024. DfT notes that killed or seriously injured casualties have been relatively stable over the past decade, apart from the pandemic years.

What was the worst year for road deaths in Britain?

DfT's tables give 1941 as the highest, with 9,196 deaths. The highest figure after the Second World War was 7,985 in 1966, when there were far fewer vehicles on the roads than today.

Related questions

• How many people die on UK roads each year?
• Where can I find road traffic statistics?
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• How bad are potholes and roads in England?

More on this source: Department for Transport statistics and Office of Rail and Road official rail statistics