UK Road Deaths Remain High: Urgent Road Safety Action and Smarter Use of Safety Signage Needed
The latest road casualty statistics released in September by the Department for Transport (DfT) reveal a deeply concerning truth: there has been no significant improvement in the number of people killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads compared to the previous year.
In 2024, 1,602 people lost their lives on roads in Great Britain, with a further 69 deaths in Northern Ireland — a combined 1,671 road fatalities across the UK. Another 28,804 people suffered serious, life-changing injuries. [1][2]
Despite small annual fluctuations, the five-year trend remains flat. Thousands continue to die or suffer devastating injuries every year, with no meaningful reduction in overall casualties.
For the fifth consecutive year, the UK has failed to make significant progress toward reducing road deaths and serious injuries. Since the last Road Safety Strategy, published in 2019, more than 8,250 people have died on UK roads. [4]
Caledonia Signs: “Clear Warnings Save Lives”
Responding to the new figures, Caledonia Signs, a leading manufacturer of road and vehicle safety signage, has called for a renewed national focus on visibility, communication, and prevention.
Caledonia Signs emphasises that physical reminders — from road signage to dashboard labels — play a critical role in shaping driver behaviour and reducing risk.
Vehicle dashboard stickers remind drivers of the most common factors that contribute to serious road traffic collisions and reinforce essential messages such as slowing down, wearing seat belts, avoiding mobile phone use, never driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, not smoking, avoiding eating or drinking while driving, and maintaining safe following distances.
These type of stickers are particularly useful on commercial vehicles, fleet vehicles, company vans, buses, and trucks where driver safety is a priority. It can also be applied in driving schools, logistics companies, and industrial sites to reinforce safe driving practices among professional drivers. By being highly visible inside or on vehicles, it encourages drivers to adhere to safe behaviours consistently.
Additionally we there has been a significant increase in faded or dirty road signs on UK roads. Faded and / or dirty road traffic signs reduce visibility, leading to a decrease in safety and increase the potential of accidents.
In the RAC “Report on Motoring 2024”, 26% of drivers said visibility of road signs had worsened in the preceding 12 months.
On local roads, 34% of drivers reported “poor signage visibility” as an issue when asked what factors contributed to poor road maintenance.
These statistics are extremely concerning to the team at Caledonia Signs. We know that road traffic signs gradually lose retro-reflectivity due to fading, dirt, and damage. This type of deterioration will significantly reduce legibility by night and in poor weather conditions (It's Britain).
Caledonia Signs is urging the UK Government to adopt proven, life-saving measures as part of its long-delayed Road Safety Strategy, including: Enhanced and consistent safety signage, both on roads and within vehicles, to promote constant awareness and compliance
The figures for 2024 are a sobering reminder that technology alone cannot solve the problem. Effective communication and behaviour change remain at the heart of road safety.
From a sign on a rural bend to a small safety label on a dashboard, each reminder is a silent lifesaver — reinforcing awareness, encouraging safe decisions, and helping drivers take responsibility every time they start the engine.
References
[1] Department for Transport, Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: 2024 Annual Report
[2] Department for Infrastructure (NI), Northern Ireland Road Safety Statistics 2024
[3] UK Government, Valuation of Road Accidents and Casualties 2024
[4] Department for Transport, UK Road Safety Framework 2019–2024
