Today, Transport Scotland released its provisional figures for road casualties in 2023. These show a drop in the number of people killed on Scotland’s roads compared with 2022, but this hides an alarming rise in the number of fatalities within groups of vulnerable road users.
- Motorcycling fatalities up from 25 to 27 and serious injuries up from 280 to 292.
- Cycling fatalities increased 250%, from 2 to 7.
- Pedestrian fatalities are up 42% (32 to 47), and those seriously injured rose from 367 in 2022 to 429 in 2023.
Thomas Mitchell is a partner at specialist legal firm RTA Law LLP providing specialist legal services for vulnerable road users (motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians) and their families.
He said:
“The figures released today show that vulnerable road users are not being protected by current road safety measures. Overall, fatalities amongst motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians continue to rise. Car drivers may be safer than ever before as in-car safety technology improves, but those on two wheels or walking are more at risk than ever. Casualty figures are on the rise too, up by 3% which makes for disappointing reading given Scottish Government’s target to reduce road casualties by 50% by 2030.
“I welcome Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop’s comments on the road casualty statistics, with her commitment to include funding for campaigns to tackle the behaviours identified as causing most harm on our roads. It is clear now, more than ever, that those behaviours which cause the most harm are being exhibited against vulnerable road users and so more needs to be done to protect motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians from a road safety perspective if we are to have any impact on reducing fatalities in these road user groups.”
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