Matching STATS19 collision data to a road network: feasibility
A report on work to assess the feasibility of matching STATS19 data to a road network, to improve the validation and utility of official road casualty statistics.
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This report presents a summary of the Department’s work to assess the feasibility of linking (or ‘matching’) road injury collision location data to a road network, specifically the Ordnance Survey National Geographic Database (NGD) RoadLink network.
If successful, matching collision data to a network will help to support improvements to the published statistics, including:
- improved validation of road-related variables in STATS19
- scope for publications of additional information related to the roads on which collisions happen
- ability to add further derived road-network related variables, such as a better classification of rural roads currently in development
In the longer term, routine linking of collisions to a network might allow a more consistent, network-defined basis for classification of which collisions are in scope of STATS19 reporting.
This report summarises initial work. It is anticipated to develop this further, with a view to including enhanced road-related analysis as part of the publication of 2026 casualty statistics in summer 2027.
Feedback on the proposed approach is welcome, via the contact details below.
Road safety statistics
Email roadacc.stats@dft.gov.uk