The government released its annual road safety reports for 2024 and 2025 last month. The overall numbers were broadly positive or flat: drink driving fatalities in 2024 declined by 16% compared to 2023, dropping to a three-year low of 220 deaths. There was also a 6% reduction in the total number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI), at 1740 casualties. However, the overall casualty count, including minor injuries, increased slightly by 1% to 6350. Nevertheless, the long-term trend is positive: total drink-driving casualties were down 22% between 2014 and 2024.
The 2025 figures for overall road safety also painted a largely positive picture. Total deaths declined again and remained below pre-Covid levels – the number of fatalities in 2025 was the lowest recorded outside of the Covid lockdown years – while KSI numbers increased slightly. The total number of casualties, including minor injuries, was essentially unchanged from 2024. The long-term trend remains encouraging, with major reductions in fatalities, KSIs, and overall casualties compared to the mid-2000s. Great Britain continues to rank among the world’s safest countries for road safety, placing fourth in 2025, behind Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
However, there was bad news for bikers: motorcyclists once again recorded the highest casualty rates per billion miles travelled. In 2025, bikers accounted for 25% of road deaths, despite representing just 1% of road traffic – a persistent and concerning disparity.
Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart responded to the 2025 figures, with director of policy and external communications Nicholas Lyes commenting: “These figures show a lost decade in terms of reducing the number of serious casualties and highlight the urgency of implementing measures to improve road safety. An overall increase in the number of bikers killed and seriously injured in 2025 is troubling, and we are deeply concerned by the rise in fatalities. Those using two wheels are among the most vulnerable road users, and we need a concerted effort to bring these numbers down through reforms to licensing and training. The government’s strategy will undoubtedly address some of these issues, but it must be backed by clear timelines, proper funding, and decisive action if we are to meet the ambitious targets the strategy sets out.”
Footnote: None of the above mentions that potholes are killing or seriously injuring four bikers a week! – see page 20 BDN June issue.