Pedestrian Death Statistics UK: The Definitive Guide (2026)

409 Pedestrians Killed in 2024 — At the Highest Level Since Before the Pandemic

Pedestrians are among the most vulnerable road users in the UK — and their situation is getting worse, not better. In 2024, 409 pedestrians were killed on Great Britain's roads — a 1% increase from 2023 and the highest figure since before the COVID-19 pandemic. 5,823 pedestrians were seriously injured. The RAC described pedestrian fatalities as "worrying" and at a level that demands urgent attention.

Unlike the long-term downward trend in overall road casualties, pedestrian deaths have been rising in recent years. The decade-long plateau in road safety improvement affects pedestrians at least as much as it affects other road user groups — and active travel policies that encourage more walking and cycling make the absence of a clear pedestrian safety strategy increasingly difficult to justify.

Key Facts & Figures (Overview)

409 pedestrians killed in Great Britain in 2024 — up 1% from 2023 and at the highest level since before the pandemic (DfT, September 2025)
5,823 pedestrians seriously injured in 2024
Pedestrians account for 26% of all road fatalities in 2024 — the second largest group after car occupants
An average of 8 pedestrians died and 106 were seriously injured per week in reported road collisions
57% of pedestrian casualties were male; 43% were female
The only age group in which female pedestrian casualties outnumber males is those aged 70 and over
Urban roads account for the majority of pedestrian casualties in absolute terms — reflecting the concentration of pedestrian journeys in towns and cities
Rural roads are disproportionately deadly for pedestrians: they account for 29% of pedestrian fatalities but only 12% of all pedestrian casualties — reflecting higher vehicle speeds
56–61% of pedestrian fatalities occurred in single-vehicle collisions involving a car
61% of pedestrian fatalities do not occur at or within 20 metres of a junction — mid-block crossings, footpaths alongside roads, and non-junction crossing points are the most dangerous locations
The most common road safety factor assigned to vehicles in pedestrian fatal or serious collisions: "ineffective observation" — the driver failed to look properly
The overall pedestrian casualty rate (per billion miles walked) decreased by 55% between 2004 and 2024 — progress made over the longer term, but plateaued in recent years
In London specifically: people walking accounted for a disproportionate share of the city's 110 road fatalities in 2024

Who Is Most at Risk?

Children: Children aged under 12 are 1.8 times more likely to be casualty pedestrians than female adults of equivalent road use — reflecting their lower physical profile, unpredictable crossing behaviour, and limited perception of vehicle speed and distance.

Older adults: People over 70 are the only pedestrian age group where female casualties outnumber males — reflecting women's greater longevity and higher rates of walking for transport in older age. Older pedestrians have slower crossing speeds, reduced hearing and vision, and are more likely to sustain serious injuries from lower-speed collisions.

Deprived communities: Pedestrian casualties are consistently higher in more deprived neighbourhoods — reflecting higher pedestrian traffic volumes, fewer safe crossing facilities, higher vehicle speeds, and greater car-free household rates.

The Active Travel Paradox

UK government policy actively promotes walking as a sustainable, healthy transport mode. Active travel funding has increased significantly in recent years. Yet pedestrian fatalities are rising — not falling. This paradox reflects the gap between transport policies that encourage walking and infrastructure policies that remain inadequate to protect pedestrians.

The specific risks facing pedestrians — inadequate crossing infrastructure, high vehicle speeds in residential areas, poor lighting on rural roads, limited pavement width — are well-documented. The 20mph limits deployed in many UK cities may reduce severity of collisions but evidence on their effect on frequency is contested.

Written by CPD Experts

This guide was produced by the team at Online CPD Academy, a UK provider of CPD-accredited online training courses. Our Driver CPC and work-related road risk training covers pedestrian safety, vulnerable road users, and employer obligations for staff who drive.