Reported road casualties in Great Britain: younger driver factsheet, 2022
Published 28 September 2023
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This factsheet gives an overview and key statistics on younger car drivers involved in road collisions in Great Britain as reported by the police, including the main trends and characteristics of collisions. Young car drivers are a notable set of road users because they have higher rates of injury in road collisions in comparison with car drivers of other ages.
This factsheet defines a younger driver as someone aged between 17 and 24 years old.
Things you need to know
This factsheet presents trends from 2004 onwards. However, grouped data for years from 2017 to 2022 is used widely in order to allow sufficiently robust analysis by age, sex and other variables. Comparisons are made between collisions involving younger drivers and those involving drivers of other ages, though there will be some overlap as a collision could involve car drivers of different ages.
Severity adjustment
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.
Impact of coronavirus (COVID-19)
Recent trends in reported road casualties have begun to normalise after the national restrictions implemented from March 2020 onwards following the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including periods of lockdown during 2021. Many of the trends discussed during this factsheet may see the impact of COVID-19 restrictions. More details about the coronavirus restrictions can be found in Coronavirus: a history of English lockdown laws (England only).
Main findings
Overall, in 2022, around a fifth of all killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties from collisions involving cars were in collisions which involved a young car driver.
Young male car drivers aged 17 to 24 are 4 times as likely to be killed or seriously injured compared with all car drivers aged 25 or over.
Between 2004 and 2022:
-
KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver decreased from 12,333 to 4,935, a fall of 60%
-
KSI casualties in collisions involving other aged car drivers decreased from 31,339 to 19,355, a fall of 38%
Averaged over the period 2017 to 2022:
-
65% of KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver were male. This compares to 66% for KSI casualties from collisions involving other aged car drivers
-
32% of KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver were male and aged between 17 and 24 years old
-
KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver peak on weekdays from 4pm to 7pm, but as a proportion of car collisions are highest during the late evening and early morning
-
48% of KSI casualites in younger car driver collisions occurred on rural roads, compared to 42% for other aged car drivers collisions
-
53% of KSI casualties in younger car driver collisions occurred not at junction or within 20 metres, compared to 47% of other aged car driver collisions
-
the most common contributory factor allocated to vehicles driven by a younger car driver involved in fatal or serious collisions (FSC) with another vehicle was ‘driver failed to look properly’
-
vehicles driven by a younger car driver were more likely to have factors ‘loss of control’, ‘exceeding speed limit’ and ‘learner or inexperienced driver’ compared to vehicles driven by drivers of other ages
Introduction
Car driver casualty rates
Chart 1 shows KSI car driver casualties per billion miles driven, by age and sex. There is an increased casualty rate for younger car drivers, especially for those aged between 17 and 24 years old, particularly males. The rate of KSI casualties per billion miles is 4 times higher for male car drivers aged 17 to 24 than all car drivers aged over 25.
Chart 1: KSI car driver casualties per billion miles driven, by age and sex, Great Britain:2022
Younger car drivers casualties by severity
Younger car drivers account for a relatively large proportion of both car driver casualties and casualties in collisions involving cars.
Table 1 shows that in 2022 19% of all car driver fatalities were younger car drivers. Table 2 shows that in 2022 24% of fatalities from collisions involving a car driver were from a collision involving at least one younger car driver.
Table 1: Reported driver casualties by severity, younger car driver casualties compared to all car driver casualties, Great Britain:2022
| Killed | Serious | Slight | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Younger car driver | 101 | 1,264 | 7,524 | 8,889 |
| All car drivers | 543 | 7,127 | 43,953 | 51,623 |
| Percentage younger car drivers | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 |
Table 2: Reported casualties by severity, from collisions involving a younger car driver compared to collisions involving all car drivers, Great Britain: 2022
| Killed | Serious | Slight | All | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From collisions involving an younger car driver | 319 | 4,616 | 20,143 | 25,078 |
| From collisions involving all car drivers | 1,331 | 22,929 | 95,471 | 119,731 |
| Percentage involving younger car drivers | 24 | 20 | 21 | 21 |
Table 2 shows that younger car drivers account for a similar proportion of fatalities, serious injuries and slight injuries from collisions involving a car driver. In this factsheet we focus on KSI collisions.
Casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver
Casualties by type
Chart 2 and table 3 show KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver, by casualty type which includes:
- the younger car driver themselves
- the passengers of the cars driven by younger drivers
- all other casualties (including drivers and passenger of other vehicles, or other road users for example pedestrians)
There was a consistent drop in all casualty numbers since 2004 until the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. COVID-19 caused a drop in casualty numbers however, the increase seen recently shows casualty numbers beginning to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Since 2004, KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver decreased from 12,333 to 4,935 (60%). However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic recovery when comparing 2022 to 2021 there has been an increase of 10%.
During 2022, there were:
- 1,365 KSI younger car driver casualties, an increase of 8% compared to 2021.
- 1,078 passenger KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver, an increase of 18% compared to 2021.
Chart 2: Reported KSI casualties from collisions involving at least one younger car driver by casualty type, Great Britain: 2004 to 2022
Table 3: Reported KSI casualties by casualty type from collisions involving at least one younger car driver, Great Britain: 2004 to 2022
| Year | All casualties | Passengers of younger car drivers | Younger car drivers | Other casualties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 12,333 | 2,933 | 3,964 | 5,436 |
| 2005 | 11,885 | 2,788 | 3,871 | 5,227 |
| 2006 | 11,560 | 2,754 | 3,812 | 4,993 |
| 2007 | 11,018 | 2,551 | 3,543 | 4,925 |
| 2008 | 9,718 | 2,114 | 3,217 | 4,387 |
| 2009 | 9,106 | 1,963 | 2,946 | 4,197 |
| 2010 | 7,610 | 1,546 | 2,436 | 3,628 |
| 2011 | 7,043 | 1,396 | 2,244 | 3,403 |
| 2012 | 6,490 | 1,285 | 2,026 | 3,179 |
| 2013 | 5,925 | 1,128 | 1,858 | 2,939 |
| 2014 | 6,089 | 1,198 | 1,889 | 3,002 |
| 2015 | 5,948 | 1,145 | 1,834 | 2,968 |
| 2016 | 5,564 | 1,066 | 1,624 | 2,874 |
| 2017 | 5,366 | 999 | 1,565 | 2,803 |
| 2018 | 5,223 | 950 | 1,505 | 2,769 |
| 2019 | 5,064 | 928 | 1,459 | 2,676 |
| 2020 | 3,993 | 770 | 1,165 | 2,059 |
| 2021 | 4,478 | 917 | 1,261 | 2,300 |
| 2022 | 4,935 | 1,078 | 1,365 | 2,491 |
Table 4 shows the proportion of each casualty type for the total KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver. This shows how the proportion of casualties being the driver or passenger of the car has fallen, whereas the proportion of other casualties has increased since 2022.
In 2022, younger car driver casualties accounted for 28%, of all KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver. By comparison, for collisions involving other aged car drivers, driver KSI casualties accounted for 32% of all KSI casualties in 2022.
In 2022, passenger casualties accounted for 22%, of all KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver. By comparison, for collisions involving other aged car drivers, passenger KSI casualties accounted for 14% of all KSI casualties in 2022.
Table 4: Proportion of all KSI casualties from collisions involving at least one a younger car driver by casualty type, Great Britain
| Year | Passengers of younger car drivers | Younger car drivers | Other casualties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 24 | 32 | 44 |
| 2012 | 20 | 31 | 49 |
| 2021 | 20 | 28 | 51 |
| 2022 | 22 | 28 | 50 |
Demographics
Sex and age
Chart 3 and table 5 show the sex and age breakdown of KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver between 2017 and 2022.
Between 2017 and 2022, 65% of KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver were male and 35% were female.
32% of KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver were male and between 17 and 24 years old. 17% of casualties were female and between 17 and 24 years old.
Chart 3: Percentage of KSI casualties from collisions involving at least one younger car driver, by sex and age, Great Britain: 2017 to 2022
Table 5: Percentage of KSI casualties from collisions involving at least one a younger car driver, by sex and age, Great Britain: 2017 to 2022
| Age | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|
| all ages | 35% | 65% |
| 0 to 16 | 3% | 5% |
| 17 to 24 | 17% | 32% |
| 25 to 49 | 7% | 16% |
| 50 to 69 | 5% | 8% |
| 70 and over | 3% | 3% |
Indices of multiple deprivation (IMD)
Chart 4 shows the proportion of all casualties ordered in deciles of deprivation of residence.
The data shows that car occupant casualties in the younger age groups, which includes younger drivers, have a higher proportion of casualties from the most deprived deciles. However, for the over 70s this trend is reversed with a higher proportion of casualties coming from the least deprived deciles.
Chart 4: Car occupant casualties by IMD decile of casualty home postcode, by age, in England from: 2017 to 2022
Time of day
Table 6 shows the total KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver by hour of day and day of the week. The totals for the weekdays (Monday to Friday) have been averaged. KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver have a peak on weekdays from 4pm to 7pm. On the weekends there is an overall increase in the evenings and early hours of the morning.
Table 6: Total KSI casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver by hour of the day and day of the week, between 2017 and 2022, Great Britain.(Monday to Friday is the average of the total on each of those days).
| Hour of day | Monday to Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00 | 107 | 315 | 297 |
| 01 | 78 | 210 | 265 |
| 02 | 54 | 158 | 201 |
| 03 | 41 | 137 | 160 |
| 04 | 37 | 119 | 117 |
| 05 | 37 | 85 | 87 |
| 06 | 79 | 60 | 65 |
| 07 | 170 | 86 | 79 |
| 08 | 187 | 90 | 77 |
| 09 | 103 | 106 | 109 |
| 10 | 95 | 137 | 88 |
| 11 | 111 | 159 | 148 |
| 12 | 141 | 220 | 196 |
| 13 | 150 | 255 | 227 |
| 14 | 172 | 272 | 229 |
| 15 | 231 | 235 | 225 |
| 16 | 286 | 269 | 266 |
| 17 | 346 | 295 | 243 |
| 18 | 298 | 296 | 282 |
| 19 | 276 | 318 | 270 |
| 20 | 252 | 307 | 258 |
| 21 | 256 | 262 | 200 |
| 22 | 226 | 289 | 230 |
| 23 | 181 | 347 | 152 |
Chart 5 puts these KSI casualty numbers into context by displaying them as a proportion of all KSI casualties from collisions involving any car driver.
KSIs casualties from a collision involving at least one younger car driver make up a much higher proportion of all KSI casualties in the early morning and late evening. They make up a much smaller proportion in the middle of the day. The highest proportion is seen in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Chart 5: Proportion of KSI casualties from collisions involving at least one younger car driver out of all collisions involving a car driver by hour of day and day of week, Great Britain: 2017 to 2022
Type of road
Chart 6 looks at where the collisions according to rural or urban road classification, involving at least one younger car driver, occur.
Between 2017 and 2022 48% of KSIs in collisions involving at least one younger car driver occurred on rural roads and 48% occurred on urban roads.
In comparison for collisions involving other aged car drivers 42% of KSIs occured on rural roads and 55% occurred on urban roads.
Chart 6: Percentage of KSI casualties from collisions involving at least one younger car driver and from collisions involving at least one other aged car driver, by urban rural classification, Great Britain: 2017 to 2022
Urban roads are those within an area of population of 10,000 or more. The definition is based on the 2001 Communities and Local Government definition of Urban Settlements. Roads outside these areas will be classified as Rural. More information is available in the user guide to urban and rural area definitions.
Collision circumstances
Vehicle movement on the road
Table 7 displays the percentage of KSIs in collisions involving at least one younger car driver which occur at different junction types.
Between 2017 and 2022 53% of KSIs in younger car driver collisions occurred not at junction or within 20 metres. This is similar to collisions involving other aged car drivers where 47% of KSIs in collisions occurred not at junction or within 20 metres.
Table 7: Percentage of KSI casualties from collisions involving at least one younger car driver and from collisions involving at least one other aged car driver by severity and junction detail where the collision occurred, Great Britain: 2017 to 2022
| Junction | Younger car drivers | Other car drivers |
|---|---|---|
| Not at junction or within 20 metres | 53 | 47 |
| T, Y or staggered junction | 24 | 28 |
| Crossroads | 9 | 9 |
| Roundabout | 4 | 5 |
| Other junction | 4 | 4 |
| Private drive or entrance | 2 | 3 |
| Slip road | 1 | 1 |
| Mini-roundabout | 1 | 1 |
| Junction - more than 4 arms (not roundabout) | 1 | 1 |
| Unknown | 0 | 0 |
Single car collisions
Chart 7 shows younger car driver KSI casualties from single and multiple vehicle collisions by casualty type, with a reduction over time in casualties in both cases.
In 2022, 38% of younger car driver KSI casualties were in single vehicle collisions.
Chart 7: KSI younger car driver casualties from single and multi vehicle collisions Great Britain: 2004 to 2022
Factors contributing to casualties
Seatbelt non-wearing
Table 8 shows a percentage breakdown of seatbelts not worn in reported KSI collisions.
Between 2017 and 2022, 15% of younger car drivers involved in KSI collisions did not wear seatbelts which was the highest proportion of all age groups. In comparison, the lowest percentage was seen in the 70 and over age group with 5%.
Table 8: Percentage breakdown of seatbelts not worn by drivers in a KSI collision, England: 2017 to 2022
| Age | Percentage |
|---|---|
| all ages | 10% |
| 0 to 16 | 13% |
| 17 to 24 | 15% |
| 25 to 49 | 11% |
| 50 to 69 | 6% |
| 70 and over | 5% |
Contributory factors
Contributory factors provide an insight into how and why collisions occur. The factors are largely subjective as they reflect the opinion of the reporting police officer. They are assigned quickly at the occurrence of the collision and often without extensive investigations and so should be interpreted with caution. They are likely to be affected in part by preconceptions police officers have of certain vehicle groups. A maximum of 6 factors can be recorded for each collision. Further information is available in the guide to contributory factors.
Table 9 shows the 10 most common contributory factors that have been allocated to younger car drivers that were involved in FSCs (between 2017 and 2022). This is displayed as a proportion of all vehicles driven by younger car drivers. These proportions are contrasted to the equivalent figures for vehicles driven by other aged car drivers.
The most common contributory factors assigned to both younger car drivers and other car drivers was ‘failed to look properly’.
Where younger car drivers differ is that second most common factor was ‘driver careless, reckless or in a hurry’. For other car drivers this contributory factor is ranked third. Younger drivers were also more likely to be assigned factors such as ‘loss of control’, ‘exceeding speed limit’ or ‘learner or inexperienced driver or rider’.
Table 9: Percentage of cars in FSCs driven by a younger car driver with specific contributory factors assigned, compared to the equivalent percentage for other aged car drivers, Great Britain: 2017 to 2022
| Contributory Factor | Younger car drivers | Other car drivers |
|---|---|---|
| Driver or rider failed to look properly | 20 | 22 |
| Driver or rider careless, reckless or in a hurry | 17 | 9 |
| Loss of control | 14 | 7 |
| Exceeding speed limit | 10 | 4 |
| Driver or rider failed to judge other person`s path or speed | 10 | 10 |
| Learner or inexperienced driver or rider | 9 | 1 |
| Travelling too fast for conditions | 9 | 3 |
| Poor turn or manoeuvre | 8 | 7 |
| Slippery road (due to weather) | 7 | 3 |
| Driver or rider impaired by alcohol | 7 | 4 |
Chart 8 shows a breakdown of four selected contributory factors assigned in road collisions showing a comparison between younger drivers and all drivers.
The speeding and drug use factors are consistently over-represented in younger driver collisions. Mobile phone usage shows fluctuation through the years due to small numbers assigned.
Chart 8: Percentage of KSI casualties in a road collision involving vehicle assigned one of the contributory factors below, driven by young drivers compared to the general population, Great Britain from: 2017 to 2022
Further information
Further information on road collisions and casualties can be found in Reported Road Casualties in Great Britain.
Published tables on casualties in reported road collisions are available.
Non-fatal casualties since 2016 have been affected by a large number of police forces changing their reporting systems which has had a large impact on the classification of injuries recorded. Further details of the adjustment for this are in the 2022 annual report.
Road collisions and safety statistics guidance including accompanying notes and definitions are available.
Personal travel statistics within Great Britain covering English residents, including mileage by car drivers of different ages, is available from The National Travel Survey.
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