Official figures have confirmed there was a rise in the number of road casualties in Scotland in 2023 but a fall in the number of people killed.
Following provisional figures published in May, the final Reported Road Casualties released by Transport Scotland Statisticians has confirms that total casualties rose in 2023 from 5,643 to 5,829, with 1,944 people seriously injured, 161 (9%) more than 2022.
Over the year, 155 people were killed in reported road collisions in Scotland in 2023, 16 less than in 2022.
Officials said the total number of casualties has increased each year since all-time recorded lows in 2020 but is still at low levels historically. The number of casualties recorded in 2023 was the fourth lowest on record.
|
Target
|
2030 target reduction
|
2023 achieved reduction
|
|
People killed
|
50%
|
11%
|
|
People seriously injured
|
50%
|
29%
|
|
Children (aged < 16) killed
|
60%
|
23%
|
|
Children (aged < 16) seriously injured
|
60%
|
31%
|
Source: Transport Scotland
Scotland’s current Road Safety Framework, contains four national targets for casualty reductions due for delivery in 2030. These targets compare performance to a 2014-2018 baseline.
The target for fatalities is a 50% reduction by 2030 but the reduction so far is just 11%.
However, the number of people seriously injured has fallen by 29%, with the same target of a 50% cut.
Cabinet secretary for transport, Fiona Hyslop, described the Scottish Government’s commitment to its goal of making Scotland’s roads the safest in the world by 2030 as ‘unwavering’.
She said: ‘We must never lose sight of the fact that one death on our roads is one too many.
‘I want to be clear that road safety remains a priority for the Scottish Government and that is why we are investing a record £36m this financial year to deliver a wide range of initiatives aimed at improving driver behaviour and ultimately reducing the number of casualties on our roads.'
