Chapter 06 - Injury road accidents

Chapter 06 - Injury road accidents

1. Introduction

1.1 This chapter provides information on injury road accidents which were reported to the police, such as the number and severity of accidents, the police force area in which the accidents occurred, the types of vehicle involved, the number and severity of casualties resulting from the accidents, and the costs of injury and non-injury accidents.

1.2 During 2019 Police Scotland started to use a new accident recording system. The introduction of this new system has changed the way casualty severity is recorded and, as a result, comparisons of the number of serious and slight casualties to earlier years should be made with caution.

More information can be found in the Transport Scotland National Statistics publication Reported Road Casualties Scotland

Transport and travel habits in Scotland were profoundly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with restrictions on travel and daily activity in place for large parts of 2020.

Key points
  • There were 141 people killed in road accidents in 2020, 25 (15%) less than the previous year.
  • There were 1,547 people recorded as seriously injured in road accidents in 2020.
  • Over two thirds of casualties in 2020 were car users or pedestrians. Fifty five per cent of casualties were car users and 16 per cent were pedestrians. Pedal cycles accounted for 12 per cent and Motorcycles for 8 per cent.
2. Main Points
Accidents

2.1 There were 3,878 injury road accidents reported in 2020, 1,928 (33%) fewer than in 2019. The number of reported accidents has been falling over the past ten years, and in 2020 was 62% lower than in 2010; the lowest figure since current records began in 1970. There were 131 fatal accidents in 2020: 28 (18%) less than in 2019. The reported number of accidents in which someone was seriously injured, but no-one died was 1,371 and the number of reported slight accidents was 2,376. (Table 6.1)

2.2 In 2020, over one third of all reported injury road accidents (1,415: 36%) were on non-built up roads (speed limit of more than 40 m.p.h. - see injury road accidents section of the user guide). However, such roads accounted for a higher proportion of fatal accidents (81: 62%), partly because speeds tend to be higher on non built-up roads than on built up roads. There was a 33% decrease in accidents on both built-up and non built-up roads between 2019 and 2020. (Table 6.1)

2.3 The long term trends in the number of injury road accidents reported between 2010 and 2020 varied between the Police Force divisions across Scotland, ranging from a 33% fall Dundee) to an 80% fall (Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire). The figures for an area may fluctuate from year to year, especially in smaller areas, although the trends appear to be downwards. (Table 6.2)

2.4 There were 6,650 vehicles involved in reported injury road accidents in 2020. Over two thirds of them were cars (4,654: 70%); light goods vehicles were the next vehicle type most often involved in accidents (393: 6%), though pedal cycles are a similar proportion. (Table 6.3) Up until 2010, the number of motorcycles involved was higher than the number of pedal cycles but since then there has been an increase in pedal cycle traffic.

Casualties

2.5 141 people were killed in road accidents in 2020, 25 (15%) less than the previous year. This was 52% less than the 2004-08 average, the time period used as the baseline for Scotland's Road Safety Framework to 2020. (Table 6.4) Further analysis of progress against the Road Safety Framework Targets can be found in article 1 of Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2020.

2.6 There were 1,547 people recorded as seriously injured in road accidents in 2020. 3,352 people were recorded as slightly injured in 2020. There were a total of 5,040 casualties in 2020, 2,705 (35%) lower than in 2019. (Table 6.4)

2.7 In the context of the total volume of traffic on the roads in Scotland, the 5,040 total casualties recorded represented 13.31 casualties per 100 million vehicle kilometres. The Road Safety Framework also monitors the numbers of slight injuries per 100 million vehicle kilometres. The 3,352 people who were recorded as slightly injured in 2020 represented 8.85 casualties per 100 million vehicle-kilometres. (Table 6.4)

Child casualties

2.8 There were 493 reported child casualties in 2020, representing 10% of the total number of casualties of all ages. There were six child fatalities, 144 children were seriously injured, and 343 were classified as slightly injured. Due to the relatively small number of child fatalities, these are often monitored using a three year average to remove the effect of year on year fluctuations. In the three years to 2020, there was an average of 4 child fatalities. (Table 6.4)

Casualty Rates & Costs

2.9 Table 6.5 provides road casualty rates per thousand population by age group and mode of transport. Overall, there were 0.92 casualties per thousand population in 2020. The casualty rate for children (0-15 years) was 0.54 per thousand population. However, the child and young adult pedestrian casualty rates (0.25 and 0.17 per thousand population respectively) were much higher than the pedestrian casualty rate for adults (0.13). The total young persons' (16-24 years) casualty rate in 2020 was 1.67 per thousand population, just under twice the rate for all ages. The young persons' casualty rate in cars (1.12 per thousand population) was almost double the rate for adults aged 25-59 (which was 0.60 per thousand population). Further information about the mid-year population estimates used to calculate these rates can be found at the National Records of Scotland. (Table 6.5)

2.10 The cost of all road accidents (including damage only non-injury accidents) in 2020 is estimated at £818 million at 2020 prices. (Table 6.6)

Notes

This worksheet contains one table.

note 1

Due to changes in the the way casualty severities are recorded, figures for serious and slight accidents in 2019 and 2020 are not comparable with previous years.

note 2

In 2015 the police created a new North East division by combining Aberdeen City, Moray and Aberdeenshire councils.

note 3

Detailed figures for casualties by local authority area can be found in Reported Road Casualties Scotland table B

note 4

Includes all two wheeled motor vehicles.

note 5

Including those casualties whose age was not known.

note 6

Including any casualties whose mode of transport is not known

Table 6.1 Reported accidents by type of road and severity
This worksheet contains one table. Some cells refer to notes which can be found in the notes worksheet.
Source: Transport Scotland
Road type 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 [Note 1] 2020 [Note 1]
Built up roads
Fatal 56 61 64 44 67 47 44 44 43 52 50
Serious 925 953 985 806 854 833 816 792 749 963 805
Fatal and Serious 981 1,014 1,049 850 921 880 860 836 792 1,015 855
Slight 5,360 5,345 5,116 4,897 4,782 4,521 4,606 3,756 3,245 2,664 1,608
All severities 6,341 6,359 6,165 5,747 5,703 5,401 5,466 4,592 4,037 3,679 2,463
Non-built up roads
Fatal 133 114 98 115 114 110 131 96 107 107 81
Serious 788 722 751 619 634 588 617 586 622 712 566
Fatal and Serious 921 836 849 734 748 698 748 682 729 819 647
Slight 3,033 2,790 2,763 2,493 2,382 2,378 2,141 1,844 1,666 1,308 768
All severities 3,954 3,626 3,612 3,227 3,130 3,076 2,889 2,526 2,395 2,127 1,415
All roads
Fatal 189 175 162 159 181 157 175 140 150 159 131
Serious 1,713 1,675 1,736 1,425 1,488 1,421 1,433 1,378 1,371 1,675 1,371
Fatal and Serious 1,902 1,850 1,898 1,584 1,669 1,578 1,608 1,518 1,521 1,834 1,502
Slight 8,393 8,135 7,879 7,390 7,164 6,899 6,747 5,600 4,911 3,972 2,376
All severities 10,295 9,985 9,777 8,974 8,833 8,477 8,355 7,118 6,432 5,806 3,878
Table 6.2 Reported accidents by police force division and local authority area [Note 3]
This worksheet contains one table. Some cells refer to notes which can be found in the notes worksheet.
Source: Transport Scotland
Local Authority 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 [Note 1] 2020 [Note 1]
North East [Note 2] 1,090 1,019 1,047 930 784 657 584 467 429 371 218
Aberdeen City 350 364 385 349 273 229 175 155 137 118 70
Aberdeenshire 599 518 533 462 419 347 334 252 242 200 118
Moray 141 137 129 119 92 81 75 60 50 53 30
Tayside 741 750 742 642 533 472 421 459 406 355 402
Angus 192 220 202 178 141 145 111 135 126 97 126
Dundee City 219 237 227 185 168 126 135 120 96 130 146
Perth & Kinross 330 293 313 279 224 201 175 204 184 128 130
Argyll & West Dunbartonshire 436 377 344 350 304 346 306 288 241 217 125
Argyll & Bute 275 232 211 208 193 227 178 174 156 144 82
West Dunbartonshire 161 145 133 142 111 119 128 114 85 73 43
Forth Valley 538 545 568 556 460 508 481 405 327 294 187
Clackmannanshire 69 64 84 69 62 62 69 48 34 36 23
Falkirk 240 261 270 248 229 250 235 216 166 129 84
Stirling 229 220 214 239 169 196 177 141 127 129 80
Dumfries & Galloway 360 319 320 303 311 278 269 236 259 202 118
Ayrshire 576 653 580 540 543 590 570 453 435 353 255
East Ayrshire 201 204 173 162 164 205 179 131 163 103 86
North Ayrshire 177 230 205 188 179 192 186 165 147 127 93
South Ayrshire 198 219 202 190 200 193 205 157 125 123 76
Greater Glasgow 1,581 1,540 1,527 1,282 1,436 1,393 1,467 1,260 1,040 1,009 688
East Dunbartonshire 141 140 114 102 101 94 93 88 59 73 45
East Renfrewshire 104 116 97 98 92 93 95 95 71 66 51
Glasgow City 1,336 1,284 1,316 1,082 1,243 1,206 1,279 1,077 910 870 592
Lothians & Scottish Borders 1,083 994 1,029 944 900 972 857 785 703 595 375
East Lothian 199 159 170 154 178 158 158 158 128 106 82
Midlothian 193 177 216 165 188 189 166 134 119 118 73
Scottish Borders 307 274 263 255 221 221 202 185 173 151 83
West Lothian 384 384 380 370 313 404 331 308 283 220 137
Edinburgh 1,179 1,181 1,167 1,157 1,263 1,110 1,140 905 772 752 436
Highlands & Islands 574 568 594 511 517 448 458 353 437 407 248
Eilean Siar 42 35 28 20 37 32 24 17 21 25 13
Highland 475 488 514 443 432 379 383 309 393 337 215
Orkney Islands 27 13 22 23 24 12 25 11 10 23 9
Shetland Islands 30 32 30 25 24 25 26 16 13 22 11
Fife 556 447 421 420 410 428 452 317 328 306 245
Renfrewshire & Inverclyde 485 509 472 374 387 368 401 351 290 262 162
Inverclyde 165 155 136 120 130 110 112 91 79 99 42
Renfrewshire 320 354 336 254 257 258 289 260 211 163 120
Lanarkshire 1,096 1,083 966 965 985 907 949 839 765 683 419
North Lanarkshire 585 569 512 510 482 451 483 444 382 347 189
South Lanarkshire 511 514 454 455 503 456 466 395 383 336 230
Scotland 10,295 9,985 9,777 8,974 8,833 8,477 8,355 7,118 6,432 5,806 3,878
Table 6.3 Reported vehicles involved by type of vehicle
This worksheet contains one table. Some cells refer to notes which can be found in the notes worksheet.
Source: Transport Scotland
Vehicle type 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Pedal cycle 810 855 934 919 924 829 809 752 658 608 622
Motor cycle [Note 4] 859 827 890 777 835 738 710 607 640 505 389
Car 12,805 12,400 12,214 11,220 11,191 10,935 11,077 9,406 8,373 7,521 4,654
Taxi 355 387 333 327 310 270 304 264 203 251 123
Minibus 57 52 54 39 43 37 52 37 32 26 13
Bus/coach 611 617 520 469 433 389 396 320 299 250 112
Light goods 752 785 806 876 878 886 910 787 760 604 393
Heavy goods 546 465 453 408 419 384 322 305 274 240 143
Other 447 364 326 266 257 208 172 195 172 226 201
Total 17,242 16,752 16,530 15,301 15,290 14,676 14,752 12,673 11,411 10,231 6,650
Table 6.4 Reported child casualties and all casualties, by severity; and the slight casualty rate
This worksheet contains one table. Some cells refer to notes which can be found in the notes worksheet.
Source: Transport Scotland
Year Child Killed Child Serious injury Child Killed & Serious Child Slight injury Child Total All casualties Killed [Note 5] All casualties Serious injury [Note 5] All casualties Killed & Serious [Note 5] All casualties Slight injury [Note 5] All casualties Total [Note 5] Slight casualty rate per 100 million veh-kms
2004-08 average 15 325.4 341 1,678 2,019 292 2,605 2,897 14,200 17,097 32.47
1997 26 719 745 3,053 3,798 377 4,047 4,424 18,205 22,629 47.19
1998 32 666 698 2,837 3,535 385 4,072 4,457 18,010 22,467 45.98
1999 25 600 625 2,571 3,196 310 3,765 4,075 16,927 21,002 42.56
2000 21 540 561 2,439 3,000 326 3,568 3,894 16,624 20,518 42.02
2001 20 524 544 2,379 2,923 348 3,410 3,758 16,153 19,911 40.32
2002 14 513 527 2,218 2,745 304 3,229 3,533 15,742 19,275 37.90
2003 17 415 432 2,048 2,480 336 2,957 3,293 15,463 18,756 36.78
2004 12 372 384 2,011 2,395 308 2,766 3,074 15,428 18,502 36.13
2005 11 356 367 1,796 2,163 286 2,666 2,952 14,933 17,885 34.96
2006 25 350 375 1,646 2,021 314 2,635 2,949 14,320 17,269 32.46
2007 9 269 278 1,538 1,816 281 2,385 2,666 13,573 16,239 30.39
2008 20 279 299 1,390 1,689 270 2,575 2,845 12,747 15,592 28.66
2009 5 253 258 1,215 1,473 216 2,287 2,503 12,540 15,043 28.36
2010 4 223 227 1,151 1,378 208 1,969 2,177 11,161 13,338 25.66
2011 7 203 210 1,106 1,316 185 1,878 2,063 10,722 12,785 24.70
2012 2 194 196 971 1,167 176 1,981 2,157 10,555 12,712 24.22
2013 9 141 150 902 1,052 172 1,667 1,839 9,653 11,492 21.98
2014 7 171 178 851 1,029 203 1,701 1,904 9,398 11,302 20.90
2015 4 140 144 827 971 168 1,602 1,770 9,207 10,977 20.21
2016 12 167 179 820 999 191 1,698 1,889 9,009 10,898 19.29
2017 2 153 155 745 900 145 1,594 1,739 7,694 9,433 16.02
2018 3 142 145 609 754 161 1,584 1,745 6,679 8,424 13.86
2019 [Note 1] 2 176 178 595 773 166 1,904 2,070 5,674 7,744 11.65
2020 [Note 1] 6 144 150 343 493 141 1,530 1,671 3,369 5,040 8.90
Per cent change:2020 on 2004-08 -61 [Not available] [Not available] [Not available] -76 -52 [Not available] [Not available] [Not available] -71 [Not available]
Table 6.5 Reported casualties by mode of transport and age group, 2020
This worksheet contains one table. Some cells refer to notes which can be found in the notes worksheet.
Source: Transport Scotland
Numbers Rates per 1,000 population
Mode of transport Children 0-15 Young Persons 16-24 Adults 25-59 Older Adults 60+ All casualties Children 0-15. Young Persons 16-24. Adults 25-59. Older Adults 60+5 Total
Pedestrian 226 96 331 159 812 .25 .17 .13 .11 .15
Pedal cycle 60 87 385 73 605 .07 .15 .15 .05 .11
Motorcycle 8 78 281 51 418 .01 .14 .11 .04 .08
Car 181 635 1,545 408 2,769 .20 1.12 .60 .29 .51
Taxi 4 8 37 17 66 .00 .01 .01 .01 .01
Minibus 2 1 7 3 13 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00
Bus/Coach 5 6 43 30 84 .01 .01 .02 .02 .02
Light goods 0 24 139 7 170 .00 .04 .05 .00 .03
Heavy goods 1 3 34 3 41 .00 .01 .01 .00 .01
Other [Note 6] 6 9 39 8 62 .01 .02 .02 .01 .01
Total 493 947 2,841 759 5,040 .54 1.67 1.10 .54 .92
Table 6.6 Costs of injury accidents by type of road, and of 'damage only' accidents
This worksheet contains one table. Some cells refer to notes which can be found in the notes worksheet.
Source: Transport Scotland
Year Injury Accidents Motorway Injury Accidents Non Built-up Injury Accidents Built-up All injury accidents Damage only accidents All accidents
£ million at 2020 prices
2010 32.7 577.2 463.5 1,073.3 335.7 1,409.0
2011 40.5 481.7 477.2 999.4 328.3 1,327.7
2012 32.4 479.6 488.7 1,000.6 320.6 1,321.3
2013 36.0 469.7 399.0 904.7 295.5 1,200.2
2014 35.7 471.5 460.6 967.9 291.4 1,259.3
2015 48.8 423.6 401.3 873.8 278.6 1,152.4
2016 45.0 501.5 388.8 935.3 276.5 1,211.8
2017 28.7 398.9 367.8 795.4 234.7 1,030.1
2018 43.8 417.7 343.2 804.7 210.6 1,015.3
2019 48.7 424.4 398.0 871.0 190.5 1,061.5
2020 35.3 317.5 337.7 690.4 127.4 817.8