The provisional figures for 2012 show that:

• The number of people killed in road accidents reported to the police decreased to 1,754 in 2012 from 1,901 in 2011 (a fall of 8%).
• The number of people seriously injured decreased by 0.4% to 23,039 in 2012 from 23,122 in 2011. The total number of casualties in road accidents reported to the police in 2012 was 195,723, down 4% from the 2011 total.
• Total reported child causalities (ages 0-15) fell by 11% to 17,251 in 2012.
• The number of children killed or seriously injured also fell, decreasing by 6% to 2,272 in 2012 from 2,412 in 2011.
• There were 420 pedestrian deaths, 7% fewer than in 2011.
• The number of cyclists killed rose by 10% from 107 in 2011 to 118 in 2012.
• The number of car occupant fatalities in 2012 decreased to 801, down 9% compared with 2011. The number of seriously injured car occupants in accidents reported to the police fell by 1% to 8,232. Total reported casualties among car users were 119,708, 4% fewer than 2011.
• The number of motorcycle users killed fell by 9% from 362 in 2011 to 328 in 2012. The number of users reported as seriously injured decreased by 5% to 5,000. Total reported motorcycle user casualties decreased by 4% to 19,310 in 2012. Motorcycle traffic decreased by 2% over the same period. 

The news has been greeted by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), with director of policy and research Neil Greig commenting: ‘IAM welcomes a return to the long-term improvements in road safety that the UK has been rightly recognised for. Last year was a clear warning for government that complacency in road safety cost lives.

‘The IAM has always warned that failing to match investment in segregated facilities with the growing numbers of cyclists would lead to an increase in death and serious injury and this worrying trend continues. A 10% increase in cycling deaths in a year when the weather suppressed cycling trips is a real red danger signal that simply cannot be ignored.’   

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) also welcomed the fall in deaths on the road but raised concern at a rise in cyclist deaths.

Head of road safety Kevin Clinton said: ‘Even though road deaths in 2012 were at their lowest level since records began, we need to redouble our efforts to make sure that cyclist deaths and injuries are reduced as the popularity of cycling increases.

‘The fact that most of the increase in cycling deaths was among child cyclists is particularly worrying. As well as increasing the provision of cyclist training and trying to make the roads safer for cyclists, we also need to hammer home the message to drivers to keep their speed down, watch out for cyclists and give them enough room on the road.

‘It is also vital to create a coherent safe network for cyclists by introducing the appropriate cycle lanes, linking quieter streets, developing routes alongside rivers, canals and through parks, and lowering speed limits.’