New government road safety data has revealed that pedestrians remain one of the most vulnerable groups on Britain’s roads, accounting for one in every seven casualties in 2024.
Criminal defence solicitors JD Spicer Zeb analysed official statistics across UK local authorities, uncovering stark differences between regions. Densely populated commuter areas such as Kent, Surrey and Essex recorded the highest number of overall collisions, while rural and island regions saw far fewer incidents.
However, the data also underscores that serious road incidents can carry not just safety risks but legal consequences.
Regional breakdown of road user casualties (2024)
| Road User | Total Casualties |
|---|---|
| Car Occupant | 70,089 |
| Pedestrian | 19,176 |
| Motor Cyclist | 15,960 |
| Pedal Cyclist | 14,549 |
| Van Occupant | 3,485 |
| Bus Occupant | 2,234 |
| Other Vehicle Occupant | 2,181 |
| HGV Occupant | 598 |
| Total Casualties | 128,272 |
The figures reveal that 19,176 pedestrians were injured or killed, making them second only to car occupants (70,089). Birmingham recorded the highest number of pedestrian casualties (615), followed by Kent (504) and Surrey (331).
Cyclists and motorcyclists also face region-specific risks. Surrey saw the highest cyclist casualties (309), while Kent recorded the greatest number of motorcyclist injuries (447).
Meanwhile, areas such as the Isles of Scilly, Shetland Islands and Orkney Islands saw the lowest overall collision figures, reflecting the influence of lighter traffic, smaller populations and lower average speeds.
Legal and professional awareness essential
Umar Zeb, Head of Private Client Crime at JD Spicer Zeb, commented: “The findings highlight where road safety improvements could make the biggest difference, while also underlining the legal implications that can arise from driving offences. When collisions result in serious injury or death, drivers may face arrest or criminal investigation, particularly in cases of alleged dangerous driving or drink-driving.”
For professional trainers, these findings reinforce the importance of educating learners about pedestrian awareness, urban hazards, and safe speed management—especially during darker months when visibility is reduced.
6 thoughts on “One in Seven UK Road Casualties Are Pedestrians, New Data Reveals”
Mark Winn’s legacy to road safety was the heirarchy of blame. The bigger you are, the more it is your fault. This is beyond absurd.
Vulnerable road users must be trained from the potty upwards that in any collision with a motor vehicle, the pedestrian or cyclist ALWAYS comes second.
As a result of this folly, pedestrians now just walk out without looking, knowing that they will be in the right. That they might also end up in a wheelchair completely escapes their thoughts. As for cyclists, do not get me started. They ride on the wrong side of the road, without lights, through red lights, on the pavement and in fact everywhere except where they should be, namely on cycle lanes. E-scooters are simply illegal weapons.
I support Darwin’s survival of the fittest. If you are too stupid to ride a cycle or to cross a road safely, we are better off without you.
These statistics are all well and good and the fact that so many pedestrians are involved in collisions is a concern.
I can not speak for other instructors, but I do feel that the behaviour of pedestrians has altered since the ‘change – ahem’ to the highway code.
it would be very interesting to know who has been colliding with pedestrians, and whether any of these pedestrians have compromised their own safety by being negligent of their expectations under the highway code.
when it was released by the relevant authorities (DVSA) – here we go again – they didn’t force the information out properly through the various media outlets.
the HWC quite clearly states that pedestrians should stop, look, listen and assess it is safe before entering the highway. Vehicle drivers are supposed to allow them to cross if they’re waiting, or are already crossing.
so many pedestrians are liter6just walking straight out into the path of vehicles without a care in the world. it’s all very well and good having the vehicle driver held liable and accountable for their actions, but there needs to be a serious education of pedestrians that they won’t always win against a collision with a motor vehicle and could end up seriously injured, dead or (worse in my opinion), permanently disabled and unable to communicate.
Pedestrian fatalities haven’t dropped 2023 to 2024 – perhaps underlining failures of blanket 20’s, the Highway Code changes suggesting a pedestrian can step into the path of a car in some situations, or both.
I would suggest the overall drop in fatalities of 10% in the last ten years is more down to manufacturer engineering making cars harder to crash and collisions more survivable by occupants, despite what I see as a worsening of driving standards.
Hopefully the Integrated National Transport Strategy being worked on just now will seek to engage with road users in the same way the ‘Decade of Road Safety’ 2000 to 2010 did, where enforcement and education led to an overall reduction of fatalities of 46%. As driver trainers we are part of supporting this.
NB – I tend to quote fatalities as it’s more reliable data; there can be differing interpretations of serious injuries and minor injuries. Fatalities are harder to fudge unless you’re Jackson Lamb.
Were pedestrians distracted by a mobile phone in their hands at time of impact? Sad to say these figures aren’t accurate enough(lack of breakdown in this category) . We also have EV skateboards and bikes, are they included in the stats ? Everyday I see 90% of pedestrians distracted because they have a mobile in their hands reading txt’s or talking on their phone I’ve witnessed young women on phones with buggies over the pavement onto the road and oblivious to their position of their buggy. Pah!!!!!
I’m sure most conscientious ADIs focus on safety and awareness, especially around vulnerable road users but we can’t be expected to shoulder all the responsibility. Once drivers have passed the test our influence begins to wain.
These days there are too few traffic police on the road and the only safety initiatives are around speed cameras and reduced speed limits.
Speed isn’t the issue, it’s poor driving, including inappropriate speed, and a widespread lack of understanding among the general driving population of what constitutes safe and legal driving.
Only today, as a pedestrian, we were crossing a road at a junction – 4 vehicles turned into the road as we were crossing, one almost hitting us and I’m sure none of the drivers had the vaguest idea of what they were doing wrong.
I’m sure all instructors can recount countless tales of poor driving on a daily basis – for example traffic light offences which I witness daily almost without exception. Some poor driving is done by deliberately reckless drivers but much is done out of sheer ignorance.
It’s time we had a wider conversation about how we can maintain and improve driving standards throughout people’s driving lifetimes – perhaps through a graduated licence scheme, stronger enforcement around poor driving including retraining and possibly retesting – this would obviously cost but putting the onus on motorists to drive to higher standards and the potential savings through reduced accidents could help mitigate these costs.
The article was interesting, unfortunately the findings are not really that surprising the vulnerable road user categories have been at greatest risk for several years.
Environment categories of:
Urban
Rural
Motorway
Have continually reflected this statistically, as stated in the article there is a greater incidence in urban areas as this is where vehicles and pedestrians interact in the greatest numbers. The quieter areas where the incidence is less, as identified in the article potentially reflect less vehicle movements and possibly less time constraint stresses in life which probably supports a more relaxed attitude and way of driving.
What I would find of interest if statistics are available, would be the vehicle types involved, the age groups of all parties involved either driver or vulnerable road user. The drivers/road users background, type of work or journey being undertaken and any driver training or road safety education received. This would provide a more accurate picture to allow further appropriate training or infrastructure interventions to assist in reducing the road risk exposure we all face.