Listen
Road Casualties Scotland 2007
23/03/2009
Final 2007 road accident and casualty statistics have been released today by Scotland's Chief Statistician.
This reference document updates web-tables published in November 2008. Many of the top line figures remain the same as November, but this publication presents more detailed analysis of the figures.
Main Findings
Road casualties
- 281 deaths on Scotland's roads in 2007 - 11 per cent less than in 2006, the lowest figure since records began
- 25 per cent reduction in road fatalities since 1997 - from 377 to 281 in 2007
- 2,382 seriously injured in 2007 - 9 per cent fewer than in 2006, and the lowest number since records began in 1950
- 40 per cent reduction in killed and seriously injured casualties since 1997 - from 4,424 to 2,663 in 2007
- a total of 16,213 reported casualties in 2007 - 6 per cent fewer than in 2006 and a 28 per cent reduction on 1997 (22,629).
Road accidents
- 12,485 injury accidents in 2007 - 5 per cent fewer than in 2006 and the lowest number since accident records began in 1966
- 255 fatal accidents - 13 per cent less than in 2006 (note that a fatal accident may involve more than one fatality)
- since 1997, road accidents have fallen by 25 per cent whilst road traffic volume increased by 16 per cent.
Progress towards the road casualty reduction targets for 2010
Compared with the baseline averages for 1994-98, in 2007:
- 45 per cent fewer people were killed or seriously injured, a larger reduction than the 2010 target of 40 per cent
- 67 per cent fewer children were killed or seriously injured, a larger reduction than the 2010 target of 50 per cent
- the slight casualty rate (per 100 million vehicle kilometres) was 35 per cent lower, a larger reduction than the 2010 target of 10 per cent.
The data for the tables are based on the most up to date data as at January 23, 2009. Grampian Police Force's quality review of casualty data meant the hard copy document due out in November 2008 was delayed until the review was completed.
Figures cover injury accidents reported to the police only. Comparisons with hospital data and other accident sources are presented.
This publication was previously published as "Road Accidents Scotland" and has been renamed following feedback from users.
Progress towards GB casualty reduction targets is presented. These targets were set in 2000 by the UK Government, the then Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales as part of the road safety strategy. The targets, are based on the annual average casualty levels over the period 1994 to 1998, and are for a:
- 40 per cent reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road traffic accidents
- 50 per cent reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured
- 10 per cent reduction in the slight casualty rate, expressed as the number of people slightly injured per 100 million vehicle kilometres.