Provisional road casualty figures released today by Transport Scotland show a decrease in road fatalities between 2024 and 2025, and a reduction in overall casualties over the same period.
In 2025 there were 134 road fatalities, a decrease of 26 from 160 in 2024. There were 1,906 serious casualties in 2025, a reduction of 4% from the 1,978 recorded in 2024. Slight casualties decreased by 3% (from 3,594 to 3,495), meaning that total casualties also reduced by 3% (from 5,732 to 5,535).
Road casualties were higher than in 2020 and 2021 when the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions led to reduced travel. However, in 2025 the number of fatalities and the total number of casualties were the lowest recorded in a non-pandemic year.
The overall decrease in fatalities was largely driven by car and pedestrian fatalities, with car fatalities falling from 73 to 59 and pedestrian fatalities falling from 42 to 27. Motorcycle fatalities remained the same at 34 and cyclist fatalities increased from 3 to 7.
Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2030 contains four national targets for casualty reductions due for delivery in 2030. These targets compare performance to a 2014-2018 baseline.
Commenting on the Key Reported Road Casualty Statistics for 2025, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport Stephen Flynn said:
“Whilst the reduction in deaths and serious injuries on our roads is welcome, we must never lose sight of the fact that even one life lost is one too many. Every one of these statistics represents a person, family or household that has been changed forever and that is why road safety remains a priority for the Scottish Government.
“These figures represent the lowest number of deaths in a non-pandemic year, but there is clearly still a lot of work to do. We refuse to accept that people being killed or injured on our roads is inevitable.
“We will continue to work with road safety partners and all road users to drive death and injury downwards. We are investing £41m this budgetary year to further support and enhance the vital work of the Scottish Government and those partners.
“This funding will deliver a wide range of projects on both trunk and local roads. This will include investment in improved road safety infrastructure, development and rolling out of motorcycle PRIMES markings, and high-profile campaigns on key issues like speeding, seatbelts and drink/drug-driving. It will also help advance the use of technology aimed at making our roads safer, with the most comprehensive survey yet of distracted driver and seatbelt detection cameras a prime example of that work.
“It’s vital that we continue to support our partners at all levels as we look towards reaching our target of Scotland having the best road safety performance in the world by 2030. The £14.5m Road Safety Improvement Fund will help local authorities deliver projects aimed at making their road networks safer and the completion of the rollout of 20mph speed limits will have a positive impact. I will also chair the next meeting of the Road Safety Strategic Partnership Board and look forward to working with the organisations involved.
“The Scottish Government remains absolutely determined to save lives and continue working towards our long-term vision of no-one being killed or seriously injured on Scotland’s roads by 2050.”
The figures released today were produced by independent statistical staff free from any political interference, in accordance with professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
(Pictures: Transport Scotland)
