The Scottish Government

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Summary

Summary Chart 1

Summary

On Scotland's roads in 2004 there were:

• 13,855 injury accidents in which 18,405 people were injured;
• 3,048 people killed or seriously injured (306 of whom died);
• 11,549 casualties in cars, 167 of whom died;
• 3,063 pedestrian casualties, of whom 75 were killed;
• 986 motor cyclist casualties (of whom 41 were killed);
• 2,389 child casualties, 383 of whom were killed or seriously injured (12 of them died);
• 1,176 child pedestrian casualties, of whom 246 were killed or seriously injured (8 died).

Between 1994 and 2004:

• The number of fatal accidents fell by 12%, from 319 to 281;
• The total of fatal and serious accidents fell by 44%, from 4,643 to 2,594;
• The total number of accidents (all severities) fell by 17%, from 16,768 to 13,855;
• The number of people killed fell by 16%, from 363 to 306;
• The total of killed and serious casualties fell by 45%, from 5,571 to 3,048;
• The total number of casualties (all severities) fell by 18%, from 22,573 to 18,405;
• Car user casualties fell by 11%, from 12,927 to 11,549;
• Pedestrian casualties fell by 35%, from 4,730 to 3,063;
• Pedal cycle casualties fell by 44%, from 1,384 to 773;
• Motor cycle casualties increased by 6%, from 930 to 986;
• Male casualties fell by 21%, from 13,122 to 10,419;
• Female casualties fell by 16%, from 9,451 to 7,973;
• Casualties aged 16-22 fell by 24% from 4,511 to 3,442;
• Casualties aged 23-59 fell by 10% from 11,391 to 10,279;
• Casualties aged 60 and over fell by 10% from 2,508 to 2,249;
• Children killed fell from 37 to 12;
• Child killed and seriously injured casualties fell by 63% from 1,029 to 383;
• The total number of child casualties (all severities) fell by 43% from 4,163 to 2,389;
• Child pedestrians killed fell from 18 to 8;
• Child pedestrians killed and seriously injured casualties fell by 64% from 674 to 246;
• The total number of child pedestrian casualties fell by 43% from 2,078 to 1,176;
• The estimated number of drink-drive accidents fell by 5%, from about 790 (in 1994) to roughly 750 (in 2003 - the latest year for which estimates are available), and the estimated number of people killed in such accidents fell from about 80 to around 50 in the same period;
• The estimated total cost of all road accidents (including "damage only" accidents) at 2004 prices fell by 29%, from £1,967 million to £1,399 million.

Over the longer-term:

• Between 1952 and 2004 (inclusive), just over 32,000 people were killed, and a total of about 1.364 million people were either killed or injured, in accidents on Scotland's roads;
• In 1962 (the earliest year for which a figure is readily available), there were roughly 775,000 vehicles licensed in Scotland, whereas in 2004 the vehicle population stood at 2.448 million. Over the same period, the number of casualties fell from about 26,700 to around 18,400. Thus, whilst the vehicle stock has more than trebled, the number of casualties has actually fallen by nearly a third.

Summary Chart 2

Summary road accident and casualty statistics: 1994 to 2004

1. "Built-up" roads have a speed limit of up to 40mph; "Non built-up" roads have a speed limit of over 40mph
2. Estimates, adjusted for under-reporting as described in the text accompanying Table 22. The latest year's estimates are not yet available.
3. Estimated total costs (including "damage only" accidents) at 2004 prices, calculated as described in the text accompanying Tables 9 to 11.

Summary of accidents and casualties by police force area, council and severity: 2004

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