< Previous | Contents | Next >

ROAD ACCIDENTS SCOTLAND 1999

4. Casualties

4.1 Casualties by type of road (see Table 27)

In 1999, "non built-up" roads accounted for two-fifths of the total number of casualties (41%: 8,561 out of 20,976). However, presumably because average speeds are higher on non built-up roads than elsewhere, they accounted for two-thirds of fatal injuries (67%: 209 out of 310) and for half of the total number of fatal and serious injuries combined (49%: 2,005 out of 4,067).

Compared with the 1981-85 average, the fall in the total number of casualties has been greater for built-up roads (28%) than elsewhere (13%), and the difference between the two types of road is even greater for the numbers fatally injured (down by 63% for built-up roads compared with 43% elsewhere). However, over the years, some traffic will have been transferred away from built-up roads by the opening of city and town bypasses, and by the construction of non built-up roads with higher average traffic volumes. Therefore, these figures do not provide an accurate measure of the comparative change in the road safety performance of "built-up" and "non built-up" roads.

4.2 Casualties by mode of transport (see Table 27)

A total of 12,887 car users were injured in road accidents in 1999, representing 61% of all casualties. Of these car users, 169 died. There were 3,759 pedestrian casualties (18% of the total), of whom 89 died, and 1,017 pedal cycle casualties (5% of the total), of whom 8 died. Because of the numbers of car user, pedestrian and pedal cyclist casualties, the figures for each of these three groups of road users are the subject of separate sections (4.3, 4.4 and 4.5). There is also a section on child casualties (4.6), which gives details of their modes of transport.  

Together, all the modes of transport other than the three mentioned above accounted for 16% of casualties in 1999, and for broadly similar percentages of the numbers of fatalities and serious injuries. In the last three years whilst pedal cycle casualties have fallen, motor cycle casualties have increased and there are now more motor cycle casualties than pedal cycle casualties. Far more motor cyclists than pedal cyclists suffered fatal or serious injuries (431, of whom 30 died), presumably due to higher average speeds. A total of 920 bus and coach users were injured in 1999, of whom 83 suffered fatal or serious injuries (1 died) - these low proportions presumably being due to the greater protection of their passengers by buses and coaches.

The number of motor cycle casualties in 1999 represented 30% of the 1981-85 average: this 70% reduction in casualty numbers was considerably greater than that for other modes of transport.

4.3 Car user casualties

A total of 12,887 car users were injured in road accidents, representing 61% of all casualties. Of these people, a total of 1,998 were either fatally or seriously injured, 169 of whom died. Non built-up roads accounted for a little over half of all car user casualties (53%: 6,835 out of 12,887). Presumably because average speeds are higher on non-built up roads, they accounted for much higher percentages of the total numbers of car users who were fatally injured (84%: 142 out of 169) or were fatally or seriously injured (71%: 1,422 out of 1,998). (See Table 27)

The number of car user fatalities in 1999 was 24% below the 1998 figure, and there were also falls in the number who were fatally or seriously injured (down 16%) and in the total number of casualties of all severities (down 7%). Although the numbers of fatalities and of those who were fatally or seriously injured were well below the 1981-85 average level (down by 39% and 45% respectively), the total number of casualties (of all severities) was actually 4% above the 1981-85 average, making car users one of the few groups for whom the total number of casualties is higher than the average 1981-85 level. (See Table 27)

The fatal and serious casualty rate for 16-22 year old car users in 1999 was 1.12 per thousand population. This was much higher than the rate for car users aged 23-59, which was 0.42 per thousand. Looking at annual averages over the years 1995-99, for 16-22 year old car users the fatality rate (0.11 per thousand population) and the combined fatal and serious rate (1.34 per thousand population) were both much higher than the corresponding rates for every other age group. (See Table 28 and Table 36)

On average, over the years 1995-99, three-quarters of car user fatalities occurred on roads with a speed limit of 60mph. Such roads accounted for about three-fifths of those car users who were fatally or seriously injured, but for less than half of the total number of car user casualties (of all severities). (See Table 37)

Adult car users

On weekdays, the peak time for adult car user casualties was from 4p.m. to 6p.m. The 5p.m. to 6p.m. average of 746 (the annual average for the years 1995-99) was 12% higher than the average of 669 in the morning 8a.m. to 9a.m. peak. (See Table 32)

Adult car user casualties varied by month, with fewer in the first half of the year and more towards the end of the year. The peak months were October and November, each of which had 31% more adult car user casualties than the lowest month, April (annual averages over the years 1995-99; months standardised to 30 days). (See Table 33)

Friday and Saturday had the peak numbers of adult car user casualties over the years 1995-99, with 16% and 8% (respectively) more than the average daily number of adult car user casualties. (See Table 34)

4.4 Pedestrian casualties

There were 3,759 pedestrian casualties in 1999: 18% of all casualties. Of these, 1,141 were fatally or seriously injured (89 died). Presumably because of the greater vulnerability of pedestrians, higher proportions (more than a quarter) of the total number of people who were fatally or seriously injured were pedestrians. In addition, 30% of pedestrian casualties were fatally or seriously injured (1,141 out of 3,759) compared with 19% of all casualties (4,067 out of 20,976). About 95% of pedestrian casualties occurred on built-up roads (3,566 out of 3,759). Perhaps because of higher average speeds on non built-up roads, 59% of the pedestrian casualties on such roads were serious injuries or fatalities (114 out of 193) compared with 29% on built-up roads (1,027 out of 3,566). (See Table 27)

The number of pedestrian casualties in 1999 was 8% less than in 1998, and 43% below the 1981-85 average. The numbers of pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries in 1999 were both less than half the 1981-85 average levels. (See Table 27)

The pedestrian fatality rate was higher for those aged 70 + (0.06 per thousand population) than for any other age-group. However, the 12-15 age-group had the highest ‘fatal and serious’ and ‘all severities’ casualty rates (0.62 and 2.27 per thousand population, respectively). The corresponding casualty rates for the 5-11 age-group were only slightly lower. (See Table 36)

The overall pedestrian ‘all severities’ casualty rate for males was 1.02 per thousand population, compared with 0.62 per thousand for females. (See Table 38)

Adult pedestrian casualties

On weekdays, the peak time for adult pedestrian casualties was from 4p.m. to 6p.m.; at weekends it was from midnight to 2a.m. (See Table 32)

December was the peak month for adult pedestrian casualties, with 44% more than the monthly average. Adult pedestrian casualties in the four "winter" months, November to February, were 26% more than the monthly average (annual averages over the years 1995-99; months standardised to 30 days). (See Table 33)

Friday has the highest number of adult pedestrian casualties; 26% more than the daily average. (See Table 34)

In 1999, 9% of adult pedestrian casualties were recorded as crossing the road within 50 metres of a pedestrian crossing, 1% were within the "zig-zag" around the crossing, and 11% were recorded as being on a pedestrian crossing. (See Table 39)

4.5 Pedal Cycle Casualties

There were 1,017 pedal cycle casualties in 1999, 11% fewer than the previous year and 37% less than the 1981-85 average. The combined total of fatal and serious pedal cycle casualties in 1999 was 189, 10% less than in 1998 and 59% less than the 1981-85 average. There were 8 pedal cycle fatalities in 1999, five less than in 1998, and ten less than the 1981-85 average.  (See Table 27)

90% of pedal cycle casualties were on built-up roads.  (See Table 27)

The pedal cycle casualty rate per head of population was highest for those aged 12-15 (0.74 per thousand population). The other age groups with above-average casualty rates were: 5-11, 16-22 and 23-29. Of course, it must be remembered that, as noted earlier, "per capita" casualty rates do not provide a measure of the relative risk, because they do not take account of the levels of usage of (in this case) pedal cycles. (See Table 36)

Adult pedal cycle casualties

On weekdays, the peak numbers of adult pedal cycle casualties were from 4p.m. to 6p.m. and from 8a.m. to 9a.m. At weekends the numbers were smaller, and there was no clear peak. (See Table 32)

The peak month of the year for adult pedal cycle casualties was August, with 50% more than the monthly average (1995-99 annual averages, standardised to 30 days). (See Table 33)

The day of week with the peak number of adult pedal cycle casualties was Wednesday, 21% higher than the daily average, over the years 1995-99. There were substantially fewer adult pedal cycle casualties on Saturday and Sunday, with 28% and 44% less than the daily average respectively. (See Table 34)

4.6 Child casualties

There were 3,193 child casualties in 1999, representing over a seventh of the total number of casualties of all ages (15%: 3,193 out of 20,976). Of the child casualties, 625 were fatalities or serious injuries, of whom 25 died. The number of child fatalities was seven lower in 1999 than in 1998. All of these numbers were considerably below the 1981-85 average levels: the number of children killed on the roads in 1999 was 64% less than the 1981-85 annual average, and there were falls of 59% in the number of fatal and serious injuries (combined) and of 35% in the total number of child casualties (of all severities). (See Table 29)

On weekdays, the peak time for child casualties was from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., with 28% of all weekday casualties in those two hours. A further 29% occurred in the three hours between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.. There was a smaller peak in the morning, between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.. There was no real clear peak at weekends: the numbers of casualties were very broadly the same each hour from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.. (See Table 31)

August was the peak month for child casualties, with 29% more than in an average month. June had 13%, more than an average month, and July 11% more (1995-99 annual averages, standardised to 30 days). (See Table 33)

Friday was the peak day of the week for child casualties, with 24% more than an average day. Sunday had 17% fewer than an average day. (See Table 34)

Child casualties by mode of transport

In 1999, there were 1,617 child pedestrian casualties. They accounted for 43% of all pedestrian casualties of all ages (1,617 out of 3,759). Of the child pedestrian casualties, 430 were fatalities or serious injuries (17 died). All these figures were considerably below the corresponding 1981-85 averages, with falls of 62% (fatalities), 58% (fatalities and serious injuries combined) and 43% (all child pedestrian casualties). (See Table 29)

There were 374 child pedal cycle casualties in 1999 (37% of the total of 1,017 pedal cycle casualties of all ages), 51% below the 1981-85 average. The child pedal cycle casualties included 69 fatalities and serious injuries, of whom 1 died. (See Table 29)

In 1999, there were 978 child casualties in cars, 8% of the total number of car user casualties of all ages (978 out of 12,887). Of the child casualties in cars, 108 were fatalities or serious injuries (6 died). While the number of child car user fatal and serious injuries were below the 1981-85 average levels, the total number of child car user casualties (of all severities) in 1999 was 19% above the 1981-85 average. (See Table 29)

Child casualty rates (per head of population)

Children’s casualty rates (per head of population) increase with age: for children aged 0-4 the rate was 1.80 per thousand population, whereas it was 4.07 per thousand for those aged 5-11 and for the 12-15 age group it was 4.86 per thousand. The pedestrian casualty rate for younger children (0-4 years) was only about a third of those for 5-11 and 12-15 year olds. (See Table 36)

The pedestrian casualty rates for boys for age groups 0-4 and 5-11 were approaching twice those for girls, but for 12-15 year olds the gap was less marked. The difference between the sexes was even more pronounced in the case of the "driver or rider" casualty rates, for all three age-groups. (See Table 38)

Child pedestrian casualty rates in 1999 for fatal and serious injuries (combined) and for all severities, at 0.43 and 1.60 per thousand child population respectively, were roughly double the corresponding rates for pedestrian casualties of all ages. (See Table 28)

< Previous | Contents | Next >