Reported casualties by type of road

Table 23 refers.

In 2020, non built-up roads accounted for two-fifths of the total number of casualties (40%: 2,008 out of 5,040). However, because speeds are higher on non built-up roads than elsewhere (the definition is roads with a speed limit of more than 40mph), they accounted for almost three quarters of those killed (62%: 87 out of 141) and for just under half of the total number of seriously injured (44%: 687 out of 1,547).

Compared with 2010, the fall in the total number of casualties has been 65% for non built-up roads and 61% for those elsewhere. The difference in the numbers killed on non built-up roads is higher than those on built-up ones (down by 42% for non built-up roads compared with a reduction of 8% elsewhere). Over the years, some traffic will have been transferred away from built-up roads by the opening of city and town bypasses, and by the construction of non built-up roads with higher average traffic volumes. Therefore, these figures do not provide an accurate measure of the comparative change in the road safety performance of built-up and non built-up roads.

Casualties by mode of transport

Table 23 refers.

A total of 2,769 car users were injured in road accidents in 2020, representing 55% of all casualties. Of these car users, 71 died. There were 812 pedestrian casualties (16% of the total), of whom 34 died, 605 pedal cycle casualties (12% of the total), of whom 11 died, and 418 motorcycle casualties (8% of the total), of whom 16 died. Because of the numbers of car user, pedestrian, pedal cyclist and motorcyclist casualties, the figures for each of these four groups of road users are the subject of separate sections, which follow this one, and are followed by a section on child casualties, which gives details of their modes of transport.

Together, all the modes of transport other than the four mentioned above accounted for 436 casualties in 2020 (9% of the total), and for smaller percentages of the numbers of seriously injured. These included 84 bus and coach users injured in 2020, of whom 20 suffered serious injuries (none died). There were also 170 casualties who were travelling in light goods vehicles(6 died), 41 people in heavy goods vehicles(1 died), 66 users of taxis(one died), 13 users of minibuses(none died) and 62 people with another means of transport(1 died).

Car user casualties

A total of 2,769 car users were injured in road accidents in 2020, representing 55% of all casualties. Of these people, a total of 635 were seriously injured, 71 died. Non built-up roads accounted for just over a half of all car user casualties (51%: 1,401 out of 2,769). Perhaps because average speeds are higher on non-built up roads, they accounted for much higher percentages of the total numbers of car users who were killed (73%: 51 out of 71) or were seriously injured (65%: 413 out of 635). (see Table 23)

The number of car users killed in 2020 was 5 less than the 2019 figure and the total number of casualties of all severities was down by 40%. Since 2010, the number killed has dropped by 32%, and there has been a fall of 67% in the total number of car user casualties. (see Table 23)

Looking at the annual average over the years 2016-2020, the casualty rate for 16-22 year old car users was 1.89 per thousand population. This was much higher than the rate for car users in the older age groups, which varied from 0.59 to 1.00 per thousand population. (see Table 32)

On average, over the years 2016-2020, 69% of car user fatalities occurred on roads with a speed limit of 60mph. Such roads accounted for 36% of the total number of car user casualties of all severities, where more casualties occurred on roads with a 30 mph limit (39%). (see Table 32)

Adult car users

On weekdays, the peak time for adult car user casualties was from 4pm to 6pm. The 5pm to 6pm average of 310 (the average over the years 2016-2020) was 35% higher than the average of 230 in the morning 8am to 9am peak. (see Table 28)

Adult car user casualties varied by month, with fewest in April and most in August. August had 23% more adult car user casualties than April (annual averages over the years 2016-2020; months standardised to 30 days). (see Table 29)

Friday had the peak numbers of adult car user casualties over the years 2016-2020 with 16% more than the average daily number of adult car user casualties. (see Table 30)

Pedestrian casualties

There were 812 pedestrian casualties in 2020: 16% of all casualties. Of these, 323 were seriously injured and 34 died. Presumably due to their greater vulnerability, a higher proportion of the total number of people who were killed (24%) and seriously injured (21%) were pedestrians. In addition, 40% of pedestrian casualties were seriously injured (323 out of 812) compared with serious for all modes of 31% (1,547 out of 5,040). 95% of pedestrian casualties occurred on built-up roads (1,199 out of 1,265) in 2020. (see Table 23)

The overall number of pedestrian casualties was 36% lower than 2019. Since 2010, the number of pedestrians killed has fallen by 13 and there has been a 78% reduction in the total number of pedestrian casualties. Looking at the annual average for the period 2016 to 2020, the pedestrian fatality rate was highest for those aged 70+ (0.02 per thousand population). However, the 12-15 age-group had the highest ‘all severities’ pedestrian casualty rates (0.70 per thousand population). (see Tables 23 & 32)

The overall pedestrian ‘all severities’ casualty rate for males was 0.28 per thousand population, compared with 0.23 per thousand for females, using the averages for the period 2016 to 2020. (see Table 34)

Adult pedestrian casualties

On average in the period 2016 to 2020, the peak time for adult pedestrian casualties during the week was from 4pm to 6pm; at weekends it was from 5pm to 8pm. (see Table 28)

November and January were the peak months for adult pedestrian casualties, with each having 33% and 28% respectively more than the monthly average. Adult pedestrian casualties in the four winter months, November to February, were 23% more than the monthly average (annual averages over the years 2016-2020; months standardised to 30 days). (see Table 29)

Friday has the highest numbers of adult pedestrian casualties; 22% more than the daily average over the period 2016 to 2020. (see Table 30)

Pedal Cycle Casualties

There were 605 pedal cycle casualties in 2020, 13 more than the previous year. The number of seriously injured pedal cycle casualties in 2020 was 245. There were 11 pedal cycle fatalities in 2020, one more than 2019. Since 2010 there has been a 23% decrease in all pedal cycle casualties and the number of fatalities has fluctuated between 5 and 13. In 2020, 85% of pedal cycle casualties were on built-up roads (see Table 23). It should be noted that pedal cycle traffic is estimated to have seen an increase of 61% in 2020 compared with 2019.

In terms of the averages for the period 2016 to 2020, the pedal cycle casualty rate per head of population was highest for those aged 23-29, 30-39 and 40-49 (all 0.19 per thousand population) and 26-29 (0.17 per thousand). Of course, it must be remembered that, as noted earlier, per capita casualty rates do not provide a measure of the relative risk, because they do not take account of the levels of usage of (in this case) pedal cycles. (see Table 32)

Adult pedal cycle casualties

Using the averages for the period 2016 to 2020, on weekdays, the peak numbers of adult pedal cycle casualties occurred from 4 pm to 7 pm and from 7 am to 9 am. At weekends the numbers were smaller, but appear to peak between 10 am to 1 pm. (see Table 28)

The peak months of the year for adult pedal cycle casualties were November and December which were 37-41% more than the monthly average (2016-2020 annual averages standardised to 30 days). (see Table 29)

The day of the week with the peak numbers of adult pedal cycle casualties was Wednesday, 23% higher than the daily average, over the years 2016-2020. There were substantially fewer adult pedal cycle casualties on Sunday, 42% less than the daily average. (see Table 30)

Motorcyclist casualties

A total of 418 motorcyclists were injured in road accidents in 2020, representing 8% of all casualties. Of these, 242 were seriously injured and 16 died. 50% of all motorcyclist casualties occurred on non built-up roads but (perhaps because of their higher average speeds) such roads accounted for almost 57% of those seriously injured, and 56% of those killed. (see Table 23)

The number of motorcyclist casualties in 2020 was 20% lower than in the previous year and the number killed fell by 9. The total number of motorcycle casualties rose each year from 1999 to a peak in 2001; since then, it has tended to decline. As a result, the figure for all casualties in 2020 was 54% lower than in 2010. Nineteen fewer motorcyclists died in 2020 than in 2010. (see Table 23)

On average, over the years 2016 to 2020, the motorcyclist casualty rate was highest for the 23-25 age group (0.20 per thousand population) followed by the 16-22 year old age group (0.18 per thousand population); other age-groups had smaller casualty rates. (see Table 32)

Looking at the averages for the period 2016 to 2020, the peak time of day for adult motorcyclist casualties was 4pm to 6pm on weekdays (see Table 28), the peak months of the year were May(72 casualties), June (71 casualties) and August(73 casualties, amidst a general peak from May to September (see Table 29) and there were more casualties on Saturday and Sunday than on any of the other days (see Table 30).

Child (0-15) casualties

There were 493 child casualties in 2020, representing 10% of the total number of casualties of all ages. Of the child casualties, 144 were seriously injured, and six died (see Table 24).

There were four more children killed in 2020 than in 2019. The total number of child casualties decreased by 36% on 2019. Since 2010, the number of children killed has risen by two. (see Table A and Table 25)

In terms of the averages for the period 2016 to 2020, on weekdays, the peak time for child casualties was from 3pm to 5pm, with 29% of all weekday casualties in those two hours. A further 26% occurred in the three hours between 5pm and 8pm There was another peak in the morning, between 8am and 9am There was no real clear peak at weekends: the numbers of casualties were very broadly the same each hour from 12 noon to 7pm (see Table 27)

August was the peak month for child casualties, with 27% more than in an average month. February had 9% and September 12% more than an average month. (2016-2020 annual averages standardised to 30 days). (see Table 29)

Using the averages for 2016 to 2020, Friday was the peak day of the week for child casualties, with 16% more than an average day. Sunday, on the other hand, had 25% less than an average day. (see Table 30)

Child (0-15) casualties by mode of transport

In 2020, there were 226 child pedestrian casualties. They accounted for 28% of all pedestrian casualties of all ages (226 out of 812). Of the child pedestrian casualties, 80 were seriously injured and 3 died. (see Table 24)

There were 60 child pedal cycle casualties in 2020 (10% of the total of 605 pedal cycle casualties of all ages). The child pedal cycle casualties included 24 who were seriously injured, one died. (see Table 24)

In 2020, there were 181 child casualties in cars, 7% of the total number of car user casualties of all ages (181 out of 2,769). Of the child casualties in cars, 30 were seriously injured (two died). (see Tables 23 and 25)

Child (0-15) casualty rates (per head of population)

Children’s casualty rates (per head of population) increase with age: using the averages for the years 2016-2020 taken together, for children aged 0-4 the rate was 0.44 per thousand population, whereas it was 0.87 per thousand for those aged 5-11 and for the 12-15 age group it was 1.33 per thousand. The pedestrian casualty rate for younger children (0-4 years) was 30% of that for 5-11 and 17% of the 12-15 year old rate. (see Table 32)

The pedestrian casualty rate for boys in the 0-4 age group was 47% higher than that for girls. The difference between the sexes was even more pronounced in driver or rider casualty rates. (see Table 34)

The overall child pedestrian casualty rate at 0.39 per thousand child population was almost double the corresponding rate for adult pedestrian casualties. (see Table 32)

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