The latest Transport Scotland statistics show a mixed picture for road safety in 2024, with more people killed in collisions but a small drop in overall casualties.
A total of 161 people lost their lives on Scotland’s roads last year, 18 more than in 2023.
However, the total number of casualties fell by two percent, with 5,734 people injured or killed in 2024 compared to 5,834 the previous year.
The number of people seriously injured rose slightly to 1,978, while those slightly injured dropped by four percent to 3,595.
Transport Scotland said the figures reflect the continued recovery in road use since the pandemic, when traffic levels and collisions were significantly lower.
Despite the increase in deaths, officials note that 2024 recorded the third-lowest number of fatalities in any non-pandemic year.
The Scottish Government’s Road Safety Framework aims to halve the number of people killed or seriously injured on Scotland’s roads by 2030, compared to a 2014–2018 baseline.
So far, progress has been mixed.
The 2024 data shows a seven percent reduction in fatalities since that baseline, against a 2030 target of 50 percent.
Serious injuries have dropped by 27 percent, while the number of children killed or seriously injured has seen stronger improvement, down 35 and 38 percent respectively.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop described the latest figures as “a painful reminder of the challenges we face on our roads.”
“Every one of these statistics represents a person or household that has been changed forever,” she said.
“I refuse to accept that people being killed or injured on our roads is inevitable or acceptable.”
She said road safety remains an “absolute priority” for the Scottish Government, which is investing a record £48 million this financial year in safety measures and programmes.
That includes funding for improvements on trunk roads, support for councils to act on local roads, and national campaigns targeting speeding, motorcyclist safety and drink or drug driving.
Ms Hyslop said advances in road safety technology and partnership working are vital to saving lives.
“The fall in pedestrian and cyclist deaths shows progress,” she said.
“But these efforts are more important than ever if we are to reach our goal of having the best road safety performance in the world by 2030.”
She reaffirmed the Scottish Government’s long-term vision of zero fatalities or serious injuries by 2050.
“I remain absolutely determined to save lives,” she said, “and ensure that no-one is killed or seriously injured on Scotland’s roads.”
