Roads: Accidents
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what analysis her Department has undertaken of the most common contributory factors in fatal road collisions; what proportion of fatal collisions involve excessive or inappropriate speed; and what steps the Government is taking to address these risk factors.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood
Statistics on factors contributing to fatal collisions in Great Britain are summarised within the Department’s annual road casualty statistics published on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-annual-report-2024/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-annual-report-2024#factors-contributing-to-fatalities
In 2024, 59 per cent of fatal collisions had a speed-related factor assigned.
On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy sets out the Department’s intention to establish a data-led road safety investigation branch to learn lessons from road incidents, by taking a strategic, thematic approach, focusing on patterns of collisions, injury trends, and systemic safety issues. It will adopt a test-and-learn approach, using real-world evidence to inform targeted safety interventions, data-driven policies, and proactive prevention and enforcement strategies.
The Department has also committed to updating its guidance to local authorities on setting local speed limits and on the deployment of speed and red‑light cameras.
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