Latest reported road casualty figures show a rise in the number of killed or seriously injured (KSI casualties).

25,160 people were killed or seriously injured on British roads to September 2016.

The DfT quarterly provisional estimates for the year ending September 2016 show that a total of 25,160 people were killed or seriously injured, up by 6% from the previous year.

There were 182,560 casualties of all severities in the year ending September 2016, down by 4% from the previous year.

Motor traffic levels rose by 1.4% compared with the year ending September 2015.

The overall casualty rate per vehicle mile decreased by 5% over the same period.

Although the number of people killed in road traffic accidents has increased between years, the DfT said the change was small enough that it can be explained by the natural variation in deaths over time.

RAC road safety spokesman Pete Williams said: “It is very concerning – even against a picture of a 1.4% rise in traffic levels – that the figures for all road casualties are showing a 6% increase in the number of people who were killed or seriously injured in the year ending September 2016. Sadly, among the worst increases were 10% more car occupants being killed or seriously injured along with 5% more motorcyclists and 2% more cyclists.

“If there is a silver lining, it is that that all severity casualties are down by 4% and the overall casualty rate per vehicle mile is down by 5%, however some of the recent quarterly spikes require some serious attention.”

The data also included figures for July to September 2016, which indicated that 450 people were killed in reported road accidents. Once rounding is taken into account this is unchanged from the same quarter of 2015. However, KSI casualties increased by 8% to 6,920 over the same period.

Casualties of all severities decreased by 4% to 47,260 in comparison with the same quarter in 2015.

The figures also indicate that child KSI casualties increased by 22% to 650 and child casualties of all severities increased by 2% in the third quarter of 2016.

Pete Williams added: “In the 21st century this seems utterly wrong so we need to understand as a matter of priority why these increases have occurred and take action to save young lives before more are lost.”