The areas of Britain with the deadliest roads have been revealed, with a county that has no motorways taking the top spot. In 2024, there were 1,633 fatalities on British roads, a slight 1% increase from the previous year, according to Department of Transport figures. More than 29,500 people were killed or seriously injured, and another 99,000 were slightly injured.
Several roads in Britain are considered particularly dangerous due to a combination of factors like sharp turns, steep inclines, high traffic volume, and poor visibility. Some of the most frequently cited examples include the A537 (Cat and Fiddle Road), A57 (Snake Pass), and Hardknott Pass. Certain stretches of major motorways like the A1(M) and A9 are also known for high accident rates. Last year, the largest number of fatalities was among drivers and passengers of cars (710), followed by pedestrians (413), and motorcyclists (343).
There were vast differences across the country in the number and severity of injuries caused by road traffic accidents, and the worst-affected areas were away from big cities.
Lincolnshire, with no motorway running through it, made the top of the list for fatalities, with 53 people being killed on its roads last year.
Kent was the next most lethal place to drive with 47 fatalities, followed by Essex (43), Norfolk (42) and Lancashire (37).
Kent also had the highest number of people who were seriously hurt or killed (941), followed by Hampshire (893), Lancashire (761), Surrey (731), and Essex (681).
Overall, Kent also had the highest number of casualties of all severity, with 3,921 people receiving some form of injury from a road traffic accident.
Surrey had the second highest number of road traffic injuries (3,145), and then Birmingham (3,056), Lancashire (2,992), and Essex (2,980).
