The year-end total was disclosed at a South Lanarkshire Council meeting.

The year-end total of South Lanarkshire road casualties for 2024 was 130, an increase of six, when compared to the figure of 124 for 2023.

This is below the five-year average (2014 to 2018) baseline figure of 137 and now significantly over the 2030 target of 68.5, the South Lanarkshire Road Safety Forum heard on Tuesday.

Progress towards the 2030 target will prove challenging. There has been a national increase in overall casualties in recent years, accompanied by concern over the number of fatal and serious injuries, David Booth, executive director of Community and Enterprise Resources revealed.

Car drivers/passengers account for 64 per cent of these casualties with pedestrians accounting for 14 per cent, powered two wheelers 12 per cent and cyclists three per cent. The collision data, which includes casualty information, indicates that approximately 30 per cent of incidents occurred during hours of darkness.

Additionally, around 33 per cent of collisions happened in areas with a recorded speed limit of 30mph or less, while 62.5 per cent occurred within speed limits of 50mph or higher (including motorways).

The use of the CRaSH information technology system by Police from 2019 now results in more casualties being classified as serious rather than slight.

There were no fatal child casualties for the sixth year running. These continue to be a rare occurrence.

A three-year average figure has been used to provide a trend line for this group within.

The number of serious child casualties recorded during 2024 was eight, a decrease of 14 when compared to the 2023 figure of 22 casualties. This is under the five-year average (2014 to 2018) baseline figure of 16.2 and over the 2030 target of 6.5.

This comprised three pedestrians and five vehicle passengers.

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Half of these casualties were aged 14 to 15 years old. The collision data, which includes casualty information, indicates that 50 per cent of collisions happened in areas with a recorded speed limit of 30mph or less, while 50 per cent occurred within speed limits of 50 mph or higher.

In 2022, the number of casualties reached a record low of four. However, 2023 saw a significant increase to 22 casualties.

This appears to be an isolated year, as the figure has since reverted to a substantially lower number.

This category typically exhibits year-to-year fluctuations. The provisional overall total of 372 casualties during 2024 is very similar to the previous year’s figure of 370 casualties.

The year 2021 experienced the lowest number of casualties with 253.

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This year’s figure returns closer to pre-2020 levels which recorded above 400 casualties. While national casualty figures for 2024 are currently unavailable, it is important to note that 2023 marked the third consecutive year of recorded increases across Scotland.

Fatal casualty numbers have continued to be erratic and have failed to follow any specific trend within recent years.

The year-end total for 2024 was nine, an increase of two when compared to 2023. This involved four pedestrians, three motorcycle riders and two car drivers. This is below the five-year average (2014-18) baseline figure of 11.2 and over the 2030 target of 5.6.

Section 39 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 requires that all local authorities carry out studies into the cause of accidents on roads in their area and to take appropriate measures to prevent accidents.

Since its formation, the council have been proactive in reducing casualties on the road network, however, much still requires to be accomplished to further improve road safety in line with the framework aspirations. Through the efforts of the council and by working in partnership with the likes of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, the National Health Service, Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, they aim to have fewer people injured in road accidents.

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To effectively reduce casualties in South Lanarkshire, the council and their partners need to address a wide variety of issues, including vulnerable road users, road user behaviour and the road environment.

The four most common causes in all accidents in 2024 relate to driver/rider error and are the same factors from the previous year.

These are: Failed to look properly (driver/rider – error), careless/reckless (driver/rider – behaviour) loss of control (driver/rider – error), failed to judge other person’s path/speed (driver/rider – error).

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