Road fatalities in Great Britain fell by 3% in 2025, according to provisional figures published by the Department for Transport (DfT), although the number of people killed or seriously injured increased year-on-year.
The DfT estimated that there were 1,556 fatalities on Great Britain’s roads during 2025, alongside 29,910 killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties, up 4% compared with 2024.
Overall casualties of all severities were estimated at 127,870, which the department said represented little change compared with the previous year.
The provisional statistics, published on 28th May 2026, indicated what the DfT described as a “broad continuation of recent trends.”
According to the department, both overall casualties and fatalities have declined over the past decade, while the number of KSI casualties has also fallen during that period, albeit at a slower rate.
The DfT said final annual estimates for 2025 are scheduled for publication in July 2026.
Alongside the figures, the department also issued an update on changes to the STATS19 road collision reporting system, including engagement with data providers and analysts around the recording of road safety factors.
The department said several changes announced alongside last year’s statistics had now been implemented, with further updates proposed as part of ongoing revisions to the data collection process.
Rod Dennis, senior policy officer at RAC, said: “Once again, this data shows that precious little progress has been made in reducing harm caused on our roads – and firmly underlines why the Government’s Road Safety Strategy is so critical.
“Frighteningly, on average four people still lose their lives on the roads every single day. If this number of people lost their lives on any other form of transport, serious questions would be being asked.
“It’s alarming to see cyclist casualties increasing so much in just a year, especially given the most recent changes to the Highway Code which prioritises the most vulnerable road users.
“Evidently, more needs to be done to ensure all road users are aware of their responsibilities when it comes to keeping everyone safe.
“And while it’s too soon to say whether there’s a clear trend, both cyclist and motorcyclist collisions are up – as are collisions involving e-scooters, which are an increasingly common sight on our streets.
“While pedestrian fatalities are down slightly year-on-year, casualties are up, and it’s still the case that on average one pedestrian is killed every day – an unacceptable statistic.
“Now that consultation on the Road Safety Strategy has concluded, we look forward to hearing what concrete actions the Government decides to take to make headway on reducing casualties of all kinds on the roads.”
