Reported road casualties Great Britain: fatal 4 - speed factsheet, 2025
Published 24 September 2026
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About this chapter
This factsheet presents key statistics on collisions related to speed, based on data from 2024 to 2025. Speed is one category of the Fatal 4.
This factsheet uses Road Safety Factor (RSF) data, which helps explain why and how road collisions occur. RSFs were introduced in 2023 to replace Contributory Factors (CFs) and are being phased in gradually. This factsheet only uses data provided by police forces that were directly recording RSFs for 2024 to 2025. This may not be representative of national trends. Further information about RSFs and CFs, including the impact of the change between the two reporting systems, is available in the RSF and CF guidance. RSF percentages presented in this chapter are based only on records where at least one RSF was assigned, rather than all reported collisions or casualties.
The RSFs used to define the speed fatal 4 category in this factsheet are:
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S1: Driver or rider exceeding speed limit
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S2: Driver or rider travelling too fast for conditions (including loss of control or swerving)
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S3: Vehicle used in course of crime
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S4: Driver or rider being aggressive or dangerous or reckless
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S5: Driver or rider moving too slowly for conditions
1. Main findings
This factsheet shows:
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51% of fatal collisions involved at least one speed-related RSF. Of fatal collisions with at least one RSF assigned, exceeding the speed limit (29%), travelling too fast for conditions (24%), and aggressive, dangerous or reckless driving (23%) were most common.
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Speed-related RSFs accounted for a higher share of fatal collisions in the evening and overnight period and at weekends, particularly Sundays. They were also more common in spring and summer months.
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Among drivers or riders assigned at least one speed-related RSF in fatal collisions, car drivers made up the largest share (61%), followed by motorcycle riders (31%). However, by casualty type, 77% of motorcycle riders assigned at least one RSF in fatal collisions had a speed-related RSF assigned, compared with 50% of car drivers.
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Younger drivers or riders accounted for the largest share assigned a speed-related RSF, with 72% of those aged 17 to 24 assigned at least one RSF in a fatal collision having a speed-related RSF, compared with 24% of those aged 75 to 84.
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Among fatalities in collisions involving at least one speed-related RSF, car occupants made up the largest share (48%), followed by motorcyclists (32%). However, by casualty type, 71% of motorcyclist fatalities occurred in collisions with a speed-related RSF recorded, compared with 60% of car occupant fatalities and 29% of pedestrian fatalities.
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In 57% of fatal collisions involving a speed-related RSF, the assigned driver or rider was killed rather than other road users. In 38%, other road users were killed instead.
2. Collision severity
Speed-related RSFs were more common in more severe collisions. Around 51% of fatal collisions involved at least one speed-related RSF, compared with 38% of fatal or serious collisions and 35% of all reported collisions.
Among the individual speed-related RSFs, exceeding the speed limit was the most frequently assigned in fatal collisions, present in around 29% of fatal collisions. Travelling too fast for conditions (around 24%) and aggressive, dangerous or reckless driving (around 23%) were also commonly assigned in fatal collisions. The same broad pattern is seen for fatal or serious collisions and for all collisions, with these three factors accounting for the largest shares. By contrast, vehicle used in the course of crime and moving too slowly for conditions were assigned in only a small minority of collisions across all severities.
Chart 1: Percentage of all reported collisions involving speed-related RSFs, by collision severity and constituent RSFs, Great Britain, 2024 to 2025
3. Fatal collision characteristics
3.1 Fatality involvement
Table 1 shows that in most fatal collisions involving a speed-related factor, those killed were the driver or rider assigned that factor rather than other road users. Around 57% of collisions involved one or more assigned drivers or riders killed only, compared with around 38% involving one or more other road users killed only. A much smaller share (around 5%) involved both one or more assigned drivers or riders killed and at least one other road user being killed.
Table 1: Distribution of reported fatal collisions involving at least one speed-related RSF, by whether the fatalities were drivers or riders assigned the factor, or other road users, Great Britain, 2024 to 2025
| Speed-related RSF assignment status | Percentage |
|---|---|
| One or more assigned drivers or riders and other road users killed | 5% |
| One or more assigned drivers or riders killed only | 57% |
| One or more other road users killed only | 38% |
3.2 Time of collision
Fatal collisions involving at least one speed-related RSF were disproportionately concentrated in the evening and overnight period. The share of fatal collisions involving a speed-related RSF was also higher during these hours than during the daytime.
Chart 2: Reported fatal road collisions involving at least one speed-related RSF compared with all fatal collisions by hour, Great Britain, 2024 to 2025
Fatal collisions involving at least one speed-related RSF accounted for a larger share of collisions at weekends than on weekdays, with the highest proportion occurring on Sundays.
Chart 3: Reported fatal road collisions involving at least one speed-related RSF compared with all fatal collisions by day of week, Great Britain, 2024 to 2025
Fatal collisions involving at least one speed-related RSF were generally more common during the spring and summer months. Taken together, the time-of-day, day-of-week and seasonal patterns suggest that speed-related factors account for a larger share of fatal collisions at night, at weekends and during the spring and summer period.
Chart 4: Reported fatal road collisions involving at least one speed-related RSF as a share of all fatal collisions by month of year, Great Britain, 2024 to 2025
3.3 Road environment
Table 2 shows that reported fatal collisions involving at least one speed-related RSF were distributed similarly to all fatal collisions across road types. In both cases, most collisions occurred on rural roads, followed by urban roads, with motorways accounting for 5% in each.
Table 2: Distribution of fatal collisions with at least one RSF assigned by road type, Great Britain, 2024 to 2025
| Distribution | Motorways | Rural | Urban | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speed-related collisions | 5% | 61% | 34% | 100% |
| All collisions with at least one RSF assigned | 5% | 60% | 35% | 100% |
Table 3 shows that as a share of fatal collisions within each road type, around half involved at least one speed-related RSF.
Table 3: Fatal collisions involving at least one speed-related RSF as a share of all fatal collisions with at least one RSF by road type, Great Britain, 2024 to 2025
| Road type | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Motorways | 49% |
| Urban | 50% |
| Rural | 52% |
4. Drivers and riders in fatal collisions
Percentages in this section are based on driver or rider vehicles in fatal collisions with at least one directly-recorded speed-related RSF assigned, compared to driver or rider vehicles with at least one directly-recorded RSF assigned.
Among drivers or riders assigned at least one speed-related RSF in fatal collisions, car drivers made up the largest share (61%), followed by motorcycle riders (31%). However, by vehicle type, 77% of motorcycle riders assigned at least one RSF in fatal collisions had a speed-related RSF assigned, compared with 50% of car drivers.
Chart 5: Drivers or riders assigned at least one speed-related RSF compared with all drivers or riders with at least one RSF assigned in fatal collisions by vehicle type, Great Britain, 2024 to 2025
Chart 6 shows that younger drivers or riders accounted for the largest share of those assigned at least one speed related factor in fatal collisions. Around 72% of drivers or riders aged 17 to 24 assigned at least one RSF in a fatal were assigned a speed-related RSF, compared with 61% of those aged 25 to 34 and 53% of those aged 35 to 44. The proportion generally declined with age, including 24% among those aged 75 to 84.
Chart 6: Drivers or riders assigned at least one speed-related RSF compared with all drivers or riders with at least one RSF assigned in fatal collisions by age, Great Britain, 2024 to 2025
Table 4 shows that male drivers or riders are much more likely than female drivers or riders to be assigned at least one speed-related RSF in fatal collisions. Compared with all drivers or riders assigned at least one RSF in fatal collisions, males make up a slightly higher share in speed-related cases (88% vs 84%), while females make up a lower share (12% vs 16%).
Table 4: Distribution of drivers or riders assigned at least one speed-related RSF in fatal collisions compared with all drivers or riders assigned at least one RSF in fatal collisions by sex, Great Britain, 2024 to 2025
| Distribution | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed-related drivers or riders | 88% | 12% | 100% |
| All drivers or riders with at least one RSF assigned | 84% | 16% | 100% |
53% of male drivers assigned at least one RSF in fatal collisions, were assigned a speed related RSF, compared to 36% of females.
Table 5: Drivers or riders assigned at least one speed-related RSF in fatal collisions as a share of all drivers or riders assigned at least one RSF in fatal collisions by sex, Great Britain, 2024 to 2025
| Sex | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Male | 53% |
| Female | 36% |
5. Fatalities
Percentages in this section are based on fatalities in reported road traffic collisions. Fatalities include drivers or riders, passengers and pedestrians.
Among fatalities in collisions involving at least one speed-related RSF, car occupants made up the largest share (48%), followed by motorcyclists (32%) and pedestrians (14%). However, by casualty type, motorcyclists had the highest share of fatalities in collisions with a speed-related RSF recorded (around 71%), compared with around 60% of car occupant fatalities and around 29% of pedestrian fatalities.
Chart 7: Fatalities in collisions with at least one speed-related RSF assigned compared with all fatalities by casualty type, Great Britain, 2024 to 2025
Chart 8 shows that 86% of motor cyclist fatalities had a speed-related RSF assigned to them, compared with 55% of car occupant fatalities, 0% of pedestrian fatalities and 43% of pedal cyclist fatalities. The share of fatalities not assigned a speed-related factor is higher for car occupants than for motor cyclists (45% compared with 14%), likely reflecting, in part, that car occupant casualties include passengers as well as drivers or riders.
Chart 8: Distribution of fatalities in collisions with at least one speed-related RSF assigned, by casualty type and speed RSF assigned status, Great Britain, 2024 to 2025
6. About this data
Detailed information about the data used in this chapter, including its strengths and limitations, can be found in the guidance pages.
6.1 STATS19 data
The statistics in this publication are based on data collected through the STATS19 system, which records personal injury road collisions on public roads in Great Britain. STATS19 data are reported to the Department for Transport by police forces using a common national specification, allowing consistent analysis across time and geography. All collisions reported by the police within 30 days and that occurred on a public highway involving at least one motor vehicle, horse rider or pedal cyclist, and where at least one person was injured, are included in these statistics.
STATS19 is the primary source used to understand long-term trends in road collisions and casualties, and to monitor and evaluate road safety policies and interventions. Its standardised approach enables comparison at local, regional and national level, and provides a long-running time series underpinning road safety analysis.
There is no obligation for people to report all personal injury collisions to the police, and not all collisions are reported to the police, particularly those involving only slight injuries, meaning some types of incidents are under recorded. Therefore these figures do not represent the full range of collisions or casualties in Great Britain.
The quality and completeness of the data can also vary, especially for variables based on officer judgement at the scene. Changes to data collection systems, guidance or reporting practices over time may also affect comparability of trends. For example, recent updates to the STATS19 specification (including the introduction of new variables) may lead to discontinuities in some data series.
6.2 Injury severity reporting
The figures in this release for injured casualties are based on adjusting figures reported by the police to take account of changes in the reporting of injury severity by some police forces in recent years. These adjusted figures can reliably be used to compare trends over time across the country. More details can be found in our severity adjustments guidance.
6.3 Road safety factors and contributory factors
When police officers attend the scene of a collision, they can select up to 6 factors they believe contributed to the collision and assign them to vehicles, casualties or uninjured pedestrians involved. This is based on the police officer’s professional judgement and before a full investigation.
The number of RSFs recorded is impacted by the number of road casualty collisions which occur and the number of collisions in which a police officer has attended and records an RSF. To account for this, data has been presented as the percentage of collisions with an RSF assigned. Because a collision can be assigned multiple factors, the percentages presented may sum to more than 100%.
In 2025, 75% of eligible collisions had RSFs recorded rather than CFs. To avoid presenting misleading data, directly recorded and converted RSFs have been presented alongside each other with 2024 as the changeover year. Differences between the converted and directly recorded RSFs may reflect changes in data collection and recording practices, meaning comparisons between the two series should be interpreted with caution.
Further information about RSFs and CFs, including the impact of the change between the two reporting systems, is available in the RSF and CF guidance.
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9. Contact details
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