Reported road casualties Great Britain: fatal 4 factsheet, 2023
Published 26 September 2024
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1. About this release
This factsheet summarises the main statistics on reported fatal collisions in Great Britain related to the ‘fatal 4’ factors. The term fatal 4 refers to speeding, driving under the effect of substances (alcohol or drugs), not wearing a seatbelt and mobile device use. It is used by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC). The fatal 4 are offences prioritised by the police in the NPCC road policing strategy, to reduce the numbers of people killed in road collisions.
Figures in this factsheet are presented using the new road safety factors categorisation within the STATS19 data collection system, but based on data largely reported as contributory factors. Further information on RSFs is available.
2. Main findings
This factsheet illustrates the numbers and trends in fatal collisions involving at least one of the fatal 4 factors, based on data to 2023. The figures, based on collisions with at least one contributing factor recorded, show that more than half (65%) of fatal collisions in 2023 had at least one of the fatal 4 factors assigned.
Compared to other fatal collisions, fatal collisions with a fatal 4 factor assigned:
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were more likely to occur on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
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were more likely to occur during evenings and overnight
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had a higher proportion of casualties that were car occupants and motorcyclists (whereas other collisions were more likely to have pedestrian casualties)
Drivers or riders with fatal 4 factors assigned in fatal collisions were more likely to be male than drivers or riders without fatal 4 factors assigned. Similarly, drivers or riders with fatal 4 factors assigned were more likely to be from younger age groups (such as 17 to 24 year olds).
3. Things you need to know
While this factsheet follows the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) in considering the fatal 4 factors, it should be noted that some police forces and road safety organisations [footnote 1] consider 5 factors, with the fifth being careless driving.
3.1 Data sources
This factsheet is based on data from the STATS19 system of road collisions reported by police and used for the department’s published road casualty statistics. Further information on STATS19 is available in the accompanying guidance.
Seatbelt use is reported as a variable in STATS19. The remaining fatal 4 factors are based on what is currently collected as contributory factors (CFs). The recording of CFs, including strengths and limitations, are outlined in the background section below and in our CFs guide. In particular, it should be kept in mind that STATS19 is based on information available to a reporting officer typically within a short time of the collision, rather than a full collision investigation.
3.2 Road safety factors
Following the latest review of the STATS19 collection, CFs will be replaced with a new system of road safety factors (RSFs). Towards the end of 2023 some, but not all, police forces started recording RSFs, which are expected to almost entirely replace CFs by 2025. Further information about the transition can be found in our initial analysis.
It is possible to map from CFs to RSFs, and in this factsheet data largely collected as CFs has been presented using RSFs categories. However, it should be kept in mind that the initial recording was as CFs, where the categories are different.
3.3 Coverage
All information in this factsheet is based on fatal collisions (and vehicles or casualties in them) where a police officer attended and assigned at least one factor. In 2023, this covered 95% of fatal collisions. We have focused here on fatal collisions. In STATS19, recording of seatbelt wearing is currently only mandated for fatal collisions. Contributory factors tend to be more completely recorded for fatal collisions.
As the number of fatal collisions each year is relatively small, in the following sections we have often grouped the latest 5 years of data to show patterns more clearly.
3.4 Definitions
For this analysis, the following definitions have been used:
Fatal 4: Collisions are considered to be fatal 4 collisions when at least one of the participants involved (driver or rider, casualty or uninjured pedestrian) was not wearing a seatbelt or had a contributory (or road safety) factor assigned related to speed, drink or drugs, or mobile device use. The individual factors are listed in the background section.
Non fatal 4: Collisions with no fatal 4 factors assigned, but having at least one other contributory (or road safety) factor recorded. A full list of the factors is available.
4. Overall summary
Table 1 shows that more than half of fatal collisions in 2023 were assigned at least one fatal 4 factor (65%). Specifically, 935 out of 1,441 fatal collisions with at least one factor assigned[footnote 2] were assigned one of the fatal 4.
Of the fatal 4 factors, speed was the most commonly assigned. Over 50% of fatal collisions were assigned at least one speed related RSF. A relatively low percent of fatal collisions were assigned a factor related to mobile device use.
If fatal 4 factors in different categories (for example, speed and alcohol or drugs) were assigned to one collision, then the collision is counted in more than one category for the calculation of the number of collisions in Table 1 – and so summing the percentages for each of the fatal 4 categories adds to greater than 65%.
Table 1: Number and percent of reported fatal collisions involving fatal 4 factors, Great Britain: 2023
| Fatal 4 | Number of collisions | Percent of all fatal collisions (%) | Number of collisions used for calculations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed related | 809 | 56.1 | 1,441 |
| Alcohol or drugs | 282 | 19.6 | 1,441 |
| Not wearing seatbelt | 118 | 7.8 | 1,522 |
| Mobile device | 25 | 1.7 | 1,441 |
| Any fatal 4 factor | 935 | 64.9 | 1,441 |
5. Collision circumstances
In this section, collisions with at least one fatal 4 factor are compared to those where at least one other (non fatal 4) factor was assigned.
5.1 Trends
Chart 1 shows that the overall number of fatal 4 related collisions fell slightly between 2014 and 2019 and sharply in 2020 which was associated with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The subsequent increase represents a return to pre-pandemic levels. The overall number of non fatal 4 related collisions shows less of a dip during the pandemic period, but otherwise follows a similar trend.
Chart 1: Number of fatal collisions with at least one fatal 4 factor, and other fatal collisions: Great Britain 2014 to 2023
5.2 Monthly breakdown
Chart 2 shows that a higher percentage of fatal collisions occurred during July than the months either side, regardless of whether fatal 4 factors were assigned. A winter peak appears more prominent for non fatal 4 collisions.
Chart 2: Percentage of fatal collisions in each month: fatal 4 collisions and other fatal collisions, Great Britain 2019 to 2023
5.3 Day of the week
Chart 3 shows collisions assigned a fatal 4 factor occurred more frequently on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays relative to collisions where no fatal 4 factor was assigned.
Chart 3: Percentage of fatal collisions by day of week: fatal 4 collisions and other fatal collisions, Great Britain 2019 to 2023
5.4 Hour of day
A greater proportion of collisions assigned at least one fatal 4 factor were observed between 6pm and 6am compared to collisions with no fatal 4 factors assigned. Non fatal 4 related collisions peaked during working hours (8am to 6pm).
Chart 4: Percentage of fatal collisions by hour of day: fatal 4 collisions and other fatal collisions, Great Britain 2019 to 2023
5.5 Road type
Chart 5 shows that most fatal collisions occurred on rural roads, whether involving fatal 4 factors or not.
Chart 5: Percentage of fatal collisions by type of road: fatal 4 collisions and other fatal collisions, Great Britain 2019 to 2023
| Factor | Motorways | Rural | Urban | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatal 4 | 5% | 61% | 34% | 100% |
| Non fatal 4 | 7% | 54% | 39% | 100% |
6. Vehicles and drivers involved
In this section, vehicles and drivers involved in fatal collisions are analysed by whether a fatal 4 factor is assigned to the vehicle or driver. Figures for vehicles or drivers with no fatal 4 factor assigned includes some involved in fatal 4 collisions, where fatal 4 factors were assigned only to others involved.
HGV denotes heavy goods vehicles, over 3.5 tonnes. The van category includes light goods vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes maximum gross weight.
6.1 Vehicle type
Cars and motorcycles accounted for the majority of vehicles with fatal 4 factors assigned that were involved in fatal collisions (for motorcycles and pedal cycles this involves only the speed, alcohol or drugs and use of mobile device factors, as seatbelt use is not applicable for these vehicle types).
Chart 6: Percentage of vehicles in fatal collisions by vehicle type: with fatal 4 factors assigned, and no fatal 4 factors assigned, Great Britain 2019 to 2023
Motorcycles in particular are over-represented among vehicles with a fatal 4 factor (more than half of motorcycles involved in fatal collisions had a fatal 4 factor assigned, compared to around a third of other vehicles).
Chart 7: Percentage of vehicles in fatal collisions with fatal 4 factors assigned, by vehicle type, Great Britain 2019 to 2023
| Vehicle Type | Fatal 4 | Non fatal 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle | 57.3% | 42.7% | 100.0% |
| Car | 38.8% | 61.2% | 100.0% |
| Van | 29.0% | 71.0% | 100.0% |
| Pedal Cycle | 22.5% | 77.5% | 100.0% |
| HGV | 13.1% | 86.9% | 100.0% |
| All Vehicles | 37.0% | 63.0% | 100.0% |
6.2 Driver age and sex
Chart 8 shows the majority of drivers or riders of vehicles involved in fatal collisions and assigned a fatal 4 factor were male, with male drivers over-represented among those with fatal 4 factors.
Chart 8: Percentage of drivers and riders in fatal collisions by sex: with fatal 4 factors assigned, and no fatal 4 factors assigned, Great Britain 2019 to 2023
| Factor | Female | Male | Not Traced | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatal 4 | 11.9 | 85.8 | 2.3 | 100 |
| Non fatal 4 | 20.5 | 73.9 | 5.6 | 100 |
Chart 9 shows that the age group accounting for the largest proportion of drivers or riders with a fatal 4 factor assigned was 17 to 24 year olds, with a decreasing proportion as age increases. Drivers involved in fatal collisions that did not had a fatal 4 factor assigned tended to have an older age profile.
Chart 9: Percentage of drivers and riders in fatal collisions by age group: with fatal 4 factors assigned, and no fatal 4 factors assigned, Great Britain 2019 to 2023
7. Resulting fatalities
In this section, figures related to people killed in collisions involving at least one fatal 4 factor. These fatalities may or may not not themselves have a factor associated with them.
7.1 Road user type and casualty class
Chart 10 shows the number of road users killed in collisions with a fatal 4 factor, and in other fatal collisions. In fatal 4 collisions, the highest proportion of fatalities were car occupants, followed by motorcyclists. However, in non fatal 4 collisions, the greatest proportion of fatalities were pedestrians.
Chart 10: Number of fatalities by road user type: fatal 4 collisions and other fatal collisions, Great Britain 2019 to 2023
Considering fatalities by road user type, most car occupants and motorcyclists were killed in fatal 4 collisions, whereas a majority of pedestrian fatalities were in collisions with no fatal 4 factor.
Chart 11: Percentage of fatalities in collisions by road user type: in collisions with fatal 4 factors assigned and no fatal 4 factors assigned, Great Britain 2019 to 2023
| Road User Type | Fatal 4 | Non fatal 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car Occupant | 74.1% | 25.9% | 100.0% |
| Motor Cyclist | 70.4% | 29.6% | 100.0% |
| Van Occupant | 66.7% | 33.3% | 100.0% |
| HGV Occupant | 49.3% | 50.7% | 100.0% |
| Pedal Cyclist | 49.0% | 51.0% | 100.0% |
| Pedestrian | 44.7% | 55.3% | 100.0% |
| All Road User Types | 63.9% | 36.1% | 100.0% |
Chart 12 shows that the majority of those killed in fatal 4 collisions were drivers or riders. As shown above, a higher proportion of pedestrians were killed in fatal collisions related to non fatal 4 factors than those with a fatal 4 factor.
Chart 12: Percentage of fatalities by casualty class: in collisions with fatal 4 factors assigned and no fatal 4 factors assigned, Great Britain 2019 to 2023
| Factor | Driver or rider | Passenger | Pedestrian | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatal 4 | 65% | 18% | 17% | 100% |
| Non fatal 4 | 53% | 10% | 37% | 100% |
7.2 Casualty age and sex
Chart 13 shows that, as with drivers, males accounted for the highest number of fatalities in fatal 4 collisions. In many cases, but not always, those killed will be drivers with fatal 4 factors assigned.
The proportion of those killed that are female is higher than equivalent proportion of drivers or riders assigned a fatal 4 factor (which is shown in Chart 8). This is because the fatal casualties are not necessarily the drivers or riders in fatal collisions.
Chart 13: Percentage of fatalities by sex: in collisions with fatal 4 factors assigned and no fatal 4 factors assigned, Great Britain 2019 to 2023
| Factor | Female | Male | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fatal 4 | 22.0 | 78.0 | 100 |
| Non fatal 4 | 28.2 | 71.8 | 100 |
Chart 14 shows that the age group accounting for the largest proportion of those killed in fatal 4 collisions assigned was 17 to 24 year olds, with a decreasing proportion as age increases. As with drivers, people killed in collisions that did not had a fatal 4 factor assigned tended to have an older age profile.
Chart 14: Percentage of fatalities by age group: in collisions with fatal 4 factors assigned and no fatal 4 factors assigned, Great Britain 2019 to 2023
8. Background
8.1 Definitions
For this analysis, the following definitions have been used for each of the fatal 4 categories:
Speed: road safety factors within the speeding section related to speed - exceeding speed limit, travelling too fast for conditions (including loss of control or swerving) and driver or rider being aggressive, dangerous or reckless. More information about the speed factors can be found in the speed factsheet.
Drink or drugs: road safety factors within the distraction or impairment section that involve substances - affected by alcohol and affected by drugs.
Mobile device use: road safety factor within the distraction or impairment section that involve mobile device - using mobile device.
Seatbelt non-wearing: based on the STATS19 variable recorded for vehicle occupants where this is recorded as ‘seatbelt not worn’.
8.2 Strengths and limitations
STATS19 data provides a long time series of data, collected by the police using agreed guidance and specification for fatalities.
Contributory factors are based on the opinions of the reporting officer within a short time of the collision, and not the results of detailed investigation. Therefore, factors are vulnerable to cognitive biases of the reporting officer, as they are assigned on the basis of individual judgment. More details on contributory factors are available in our guide to CFs.
This analysis is based on mapping from CFs recorded to RSFs. It may be that if RSFs were recorded directly then different factors would have been assigned. This particularly relates to the speed category, where the definition is wider than has previously been used.
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Including Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire, Avon and Somerset, Lincolnshire, Wales and Northern Ireland police forces ↩
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Except for seatbelts, statistics on collisions assigned fatal 4 factors are based on cases where an officer attended the scene and recorded at least one factor. In 2023, there were a total of 1,522 fatal collisions in Great Britain, of which 1,441 were attended by a police officer who recorded at least one contributory or road safety factor. Data on seatbelt non-wearing is recorded for all fatal collisions (that involve cars and taxis), which explains why the number of total number of collisions is different for seatbelt use in the table below. ↩