Casualties by mode of transport
Key Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2020
Casualties by mode of transport
In 2020 there were 2,742 car users reported injured in road accidents; over half of all road casualties (55%: 2,742 out of 4,992) and a 41% fall from 2019. Of these, 72 were killed, a decrease of 5% from 2019, and 629 seriously injured.
There were 799 pedestrian casualties[7] recorded in 2020, a sixth of all casualties (16%: 799 out of 4,992) and down by 464 (37%) since 2019. Four per cent of pedestrian casualties were killed (34 out of 799) and 40% seriously injured (323 out of 799).
Pedal cycle casualty numbers in 2020 increased by 2% and motorcycle casualties decreased by 20%. In 2020, 417 motorcycle casualties were reported, of whom 242 (58%) suffered serious injuries and 16 died, a decrease of 9 fatalities on 2019. There were 599 pedal cyclist casualties recorded in 2020, 11 died (one fatality more than in 2019).
A total of 84 bus and coach users were reported injured (a decrease of 58% on 2019), of whom 20 were seriously injured, none died.
Together, all other modes of transport accounted for 7% of casualties in 2020 (351 out of 4,992), for 6% of those killed (9 out of 142) and for 5% of those seriously injured (83 out of 1,539).
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’ and ‘personal travel’ sections of Scottish Transport Statistics (STS). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been significant changes to people’s travel behaviour in 2020. Some of these are set out earlier in this publication.
As outlined above, the number of serious and slight casualties cannot be directly compared to previously recorded figures due to changes in severity reporting. We will have adjusted figures, broken down by mode, available for inclusion in Reported Road Casualties, which is due to be published later in the year.
Figure 7: Number of casualties by mode of transport, 2020.
