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Written question asked by Wendy Morton (Conservative) on Thursday, 19 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 March 2026. It was answered by Lilian Greenwood (Labour) on Wednesday, 25 March 2026 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Roads: Accidents

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.

Answer

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.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
122129
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Death Accidents Roads Speed limits
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk