Accredited official statistics

Proposed changes to road safety statistics

Updated 10 July 2024

Introduction

This document outlines proposed changes to the department’s published road safety statistics, which we intend to implement as part of the publication of 2023 final statistics in September 2024. 

These changes relate to in initial steps in implementation of the 2018 STATS19 review or are based on feedback from users of the statistics (a summary of recent user feedback is available). 

We welcome any comments on these proposed changes, particularly where they may negatively impact on your work, please complete our short survey or contact us via email.

Contributory factors and road safety factors

As part of implementation of the recommendations of the latest STATS19 review, the current contributory factors (CFs) recording will be replaced by new Road Safety Factors (RSFs). As some police forces adopted the new specification during November 2023, we are proposing that for 2023 data we will present RSFs alongside CFs, by mapping from the CFs for historic data years, with historic CF data tables retained for reference. This will affect data tables RAS0701 to RAS0706.

By the end of 2024, it is anticipated that most forces will collect only RSFs and updates to statistics involving CFs will no longer be available for the whole of the country.  Therefore for the 2024 data (scheduled for publication September 2025) onwards we expect to prioritise reporting of RSFs.   

Similar changes will impact on any record level data requested via our sensitive data extract process.

Further details of the changes and proposed approach, and an illustrative example of the mapping from CFs to RSFs, is shown in our RSFs factsheet.

Proposed change: Data tables for RAS0701 to RAS0706 will present RSFs alongside CFs for 2023, and instead of CFs from 2024 onwards.

Question 1: Do you support the proposed transition from CFs to RSFs?  If not, we would be grateful for any comments or feedback on any concerns or impacts on your work.

E-scooter factsheets based on provisional data

Currently, e-scooters involved in collisions are identified within STATS19 using the ‘other vehicle’ category, and accompanying free text.  As the STATS19 review is implemented, they will instead be identified within the new ‘powered personal transporter’ (PPT) category.

At present, statistics on e-scooters are presented via separate factsheets, which are updated 3 times per year, twice with provisional data and then with final figures.  In future, we intend to reduce this to once per year, as part of the final figures (as is done with other modes such as pedal cyclists) and, if the data allows, add the PPT category to published data tables or otherwise present headline figures within the main statistics release.   

This proposal is being made in line with our duty under the Code of Practice for Statistics to continually consider how to best balance demand for data with available resource, taking into consideration the need to present a range of outputs on any given topic, and has been informed by engagement with known users of these statistics.   

Proposed change: From the 2024 statistics, e-scooter casualty factsheets will be produced once per year as part of the final statistics only, and not updated with provisional figures.

Question 2: Does this proposed reduction in frequency cause any problems with your work?  

Local authority casualty rates

Currently, casualty numbers and rates at local highway authority level are published annually in table RAS0403.

From the 2023 statistics scheduled for publication in September 2024, we intend to make changes to this table.

First, we intend to calculate rates based on motor vehicle traffic only (that is, excluding pedal cycle traffic which is currently included).  This is because the department does not consider pedal cycle traffic to be robust at the local authority level.  However, we will continue to include all road casualties in the calculation, as most collisions involve at least one motor vehicle.  This change has a minimal impact on the figures for most areas, and we have produced figures on the new basis in table RAS0403_new to allow comparison.  From September, this will replace the existing RAS0403 table which will be withdrawn.

Secondly, we are introducing new tables which present data for casualties on locally managed roads (that is, excluding the Strategic Road Network) for authorities in England.  This is to provide an insight into trends with the impact of non-local authority managed roads removed, following user feedback requesting this data.

We have published a version of this table, which will replace the current RAS0403, which is available as RAS0403_new.

Proposed change: Published local authority casualty rates will change to be based on motor vehicle traffic only in future.

Question 3: Are you content with this proposed change?  If not, we would be grateful for any comments or concerns.

Additions to published data tables and open dataset

We are intending to make a number of changes and additions to the published open dataset.  These include:

• adding the more granular severity breakdown of serious injuries (very serious, more serious, less serious) for police forces using the injury-based reporting method
• adding a variable giving the distance between collision and casualty and driver home (banded to ensure sensitive data is not revealed)
• combining e-scooters into the main vehicles extract (likely with a flag to indicate where a vehicle is an e-scooter), and removing the separate list of e-scooters in collisions
• adding details of vehicle location before and after the collision, where this is available

These changes will be made as part of the data extracts to be published following the final 2023 statistics in September.

We are also planning to introduce a new spreadsheet data table looking at vehicle in collisions by propulsion type, given growing interest in safety of electric vehicles.  This will be subject to quality assurance of the underlying data.   

Proposed change: We are adding some further variables into our open dataset and proposing to add a table showing vehicles in collisions by fuel type.

Question 4: Are there any other variables that you think would be valuable to add to either the published data or statistics?  Please provide details if so.

Revisions to previously published data

Currently, the road casualty statistics are finalised for publication each September (for example, the final 2023 statistics are scheduled for publication in September 2024) and are not subsequently revised.

We are aware that there are some changes to the data after it is finalised (for example, where a coroner rules a case as a suicide, this would then be out of scope of STATS19) and have sought feedback from users on whether the final figures should be revised to account for these changes, as is the case in other parts of the UK (in particular for Scotland).

We received a mixture of feedback, with some users in favour of revising figures, particularly for fatal and more serious casualties.  However, others noted potential issues with changing published figures, given the potential number and timescales involved.   

For now, we intend to retain the current approach where the final figures published each year but will continue to review this approach.  Where the department is made aware of subsequent information which would have changed whether a fatal casualty or collision would have been in scope of STATS19, we will seek to maintain and publish a list of these collisions alongside the open data so that users can understand how the figures may have differed.     

Proposed change: While we will continue to publish final figures which will not be revised following first publication, we aim to introduce a list of those fatal collisions where later revisions would have changed their need for inclusion.

Question 5: Are you content with this proposed approach?  If not, we would be grateful for any comments or concerns.

Data download tool development

The road safety statistics team is currently developing a new data dissemination tool, which will in time replace the existing data download tool.  This development has been impacted by availability of resource within the wider department, and there is currently no timescale for resolution.  We will provide a further update to users whenever possible, but hope to have a new tool ready alongside the final statistics in September 2024.

Question 6: If you would like to help us in developing a prototype of the new tool over the coming months, please provide your details by email to roadacc.stats@dft.gov.uk.

Further feedback

We continue to welcome any feedback on the road casualty statistics or the STATS19 collection system at any time, including suggestions for improvements or new analyses.  

Road safety statistics

Email roadacc.stats@dft.gov.uk