According to the latest government road safety data, there were 12,320 UK road traffic casualties in 2020 – a 9% decrease from the previous year, despite an overall reduction in car traffic vehicle miles of 25% due to the pandemic and resulting lockdowns.
London and the South East recorded the highest number of casualties, with 1,476 and 1,398 respectively, whilst Wales was statistically the safest region, with 818 road traffic casualties recorded that year.
With Road Safety Week commencing from the 15-21 November, these statistics show that despite the best efforts of government and other road safety groups to reduce the number of casualties, there are still a large number of major incidents occurring, relative to the amount of traffic on the UK’s roads.
Instead of silently bearing the emotional and physical impact of a road traffic accident, it is always best to reach out for professional support and receive expert legal advice that can help you move on from what has happened.In some cases, serious injury and emotional trauma can take months or even years to recover from, forcing individuals to take prolonged periods of time off work, which then creates a new set of financial challenges they must overcome.
"Jeanette Whyman, Serious Injury Lawyer from Wright Hassall commented: "Despite the significant decrease in traffic on our roads in 2020, we are still seeing a considerable number of serious injuries on our roads, often resulting in people needing compensation for their life-changing injuries."
“To give you a better understanding of how widespread road safety issues are in the UK, we have offered a regional breakdown of the latest government data, which details the situation on our roads.
“Although the latest figures show a decline in the number of road traffic casualties, this 9% reduction must be taken in context against an overall drop of 25% in car traffic vehicle miles.
“If you take London, for example, there were just 26 fewer causalities in 2020 compared to 2019, despite there being an 18% decrease in car traffic in the region during the year.
“What this tells us is that major road traffic incidents are still occurring at an alarming rate, which unfortunately means a lot of innocent victims will have their lives negatively impacted as a result.
“Ultimately, if it wasn’t your fault, then you shouldn’t be left to bear the consequences that can otherwise have a devastating impact on your quality of life.”
“To give you a better understanding of how widespread road safety issues are in the UK, we have offered a regional breakdown of the latest government data, which details the situation on our roads and shows the need to seek expert legal advice if you are involved in any such incident.
London
Total casualties: 1,476
According to the latest government road safety data, there were 12,320 UK road traffic casualties in 2020 – a 9% decrease from the previous year, despite an overall reduction in car traffic vehicle miles of 25% due to the pandemic and resulting lockdowns.
The data shows that London recorded the highest number of casualties out of the 11 regions, with 1,476. Whilst this is a 2% decrease compared to 2019, it is important to take this statistic in the correct context, as there was also a significant regional reduction of 18% in car traffic vehicle miles. The region also recorded 96 deaths and 2,972 serious injuries, which will have undoubtedly led to personal injury claims.
South East
Total casualties: 1,398
The South East unfortunately recorded the most road traffic fatalities of all the regions at 239, and had the second highest number of casualties with 1,398. This amounted to a 9% decline compared with the previous year, despite a regional reduction of 23% to road traffic. The region also recorded the highest number of serious injuries, with 3,615.
North West
Total casualties: 1,209
Third for the highest number of casualties, the North West experienced a 7% decrease compared with 2019’s statistics, although road traffic in the region also dropped by 20%. 158 of those accidents were fatal and a total of 2,061 serious injuries were recorded.
Yorkshire & The Humber
Total casualties: 1,171
With 38 fewer casualties than the North West, Yorkshire & The Humber is next on the list with a total of 1,171 – an 8% reduction on the previous year. During 2020, road traffic declined by 20% across the region, with 147 fatal accidents and 1,866 serious injuries recorded.
East of England
Total casualties: 1,151
Despite recording the fifth highest number of road traffic casualties with 1,151 (12% reduction), the East of England unfortunately saw the second highest number of fatalities with 169. Despite car traffic vehicle miles declining by 21% due to the pandemic and resulting lockdowns, there was also 2,120 serious injuries recorded as a result of road traffic accidents.
South West
Total casualties: 1,151
Whilst the South West recorded the exact same number of casualties compared to the East of England, they recorded 39 fewer fatalities at 130. However, their reduction in road traffic casualties was only 7%, which is relatively low considering a 23% drop off in road traffic. 1,475 serious injuries were also recorded in the region throughout 2020.
East Midlands
Total casualties: 1,107
The East Midlands recorded 1,107 casualties during last year, which was 7% lower than 2019. Car traffic vehicle miles saw a 21% reduction in the region, with 136 fatalities and 1,555 serious injuries accounted for within the government data.
West Midlands
Total casualties: 1,089
With 18 fewer casualties than its Midlands counterpart, West Midlands are eighth on the list with 1,089, despite a 23% reduction in road traffic. According to the data, the region also recorded 108 fatalities and 1,494 serious injuries.
Scotland
Total casualties: 920
One of only three regions to record less than 1,000 road traffic casualties for the year, Scotland’s 920 amounted to a 15% annual reduction – the largest decline of any other region. Interestingly however, Scotland recorded the fifth highest number of fatalities with 143, as well as 1,523 serious injuries. It is also worth noting that car traffic saw a 23% regional decline during 2020, compared to the previous year.
North East
Total casualties: 830
The North East recorded the fewest amount of road traffic deaths at 63, with 830 total road traffic casualties recorded (11% reduction) – this was in context of a 21% decline in car traffic vehicle miles across the region. That year, the North East also recorded the fewest number of serious injuries, with 677.
Wales
Total casualties: 818
Wales was statistically the safest region in terms of road traffic casualties, with 12 fewer than the North East, at 818 (13% reduction). This was amid a 24% decline in road traffic, as the region also recorded 71 deaths and 744 serious injuries, according to the data provided.
