The Department for Transport recently released their report on the number of road traffic accidents (RTA) in the UK in 2023.
The report found there were 1,645 fatalities on UK roads as a result of RTAs. Although a shocking statistic, this was a 4% decline vs 2022, which is positive.
Vulnerable road users (motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians) accounted for just under half of the fatalities (797) – with pedestrian and cyclist fatalities declining 6% and 7%, respectively.
In 2023, there were 132,063 total casualties – defined as those killed, seriously injured, or injured. This figure was 3% less than in 2022. Vulnerable road users accounted for 50,682 casualties. Cyclist and pedestrian casualties declined 6% and 1%, respectively.
The decline in fatalities and casualties since 2022 is overwhelmingly positive, which could be attributed to The Highway Code’s latest update that came into effect last year. Declining cyclist and pedestrian deaths and injuries would suggest the change in road hierarchy had a significant impact. And it can also be assumed the increase in cycling passing distance has also impacted the decline in cyclist deaths and injuries.
Fatalities and casualties of cyclists have also decreased by over 23% since 2013, indicating there has been a significant change in driving behaviours.
Our head of Personal Injury, John Green said “It’s great that vulnerable road user fatality and casualty rates are declining. The most recent Highway Code update was a move in the right direction to protect pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycle riders, but the work is not done yet.
“We believe everyone should have the right to safe road usage. And we remain committed to supporting vulnerable road users, no matter the severity of their injuries. As well as securing compensation, we’ll help them get the answers they deserve.”
Taylor Emmet’s Personal Injury team regularly supports those who have been injured during an RTA. We have experience helping those who have suffered any injury type, from minor to life-changing.
We’ll really get to know you and listen to how your accident happened, and then help you decide whether you want to make a claim. And we operate on a No Win, No Fee basis, so you can be confident that there will be no financial risk to you if we can’t achieve the best outcome possible.
We’re also proud to pioneer BikeLaw UK, our team that provides free legal advice to cyclists across Sheffield, Derbyshire and the Peak District. Even if you’re not sure if you want to pursue a legal claim, we can talk to you about what happened and advise you on what we think you should do next – we aim to empower you to make the right decision for you.
If you’ve been injured in an RTA, get in touch to find out how our team can support you.