Rural roads three quarters more deadly than urban roads
New research has revealed that rural roads are nearly three quarters more deadly than urban roads.
Analysis of Department for Transport figures carried out by NFU Mutual found that 9,887 people have been killed on rural roads in the past 10 years, two-thirds more than the number of deaths on urban roads.
Meanwhile, 956 people lost their lives on rural roads in 2024, which is 72% higher than the 555 fatalities on urban roads.
The ratio to miles travelled is also higher on rural roads, with the data finding that there were 6.3 deaths per billion miles travelled on countryside roads last year, compared to 4.7 on urban roads and 1.3 on motorways
NFU Mutual is now calling for greater training on rural roads for learner drivers and for the creation of a Rural Road Safety Awareness Course for those who offend on rural roads.
Nick Turner, chief executive of NFU Mutual, said: “In the 10 years to the end of 2024, 10,000 lives were lost on Britain’s rural roads. To put that into perspective, that’s almost three loved ones killed each day over the last decade.
“As the chief executive of the UK’s leading rural insurer, I spend my days contemplating how we can reduce risk and protect lives and livelihoods in rural areas. These figures shock and worry me, as they should anybody who lives, works in, or visits our countryside, and I’m calling on the government to ensure that the new national road safety strategy addresses this avoidable loss of life in our countryside.
“It’s clear that something needs to change. After years of declining fatalities on rural roads, progress has stalled since around 2012. It’s not acceptable that Britain continues to lose around 1,000 people each year to rural road fatalities and more must be done to prevent this needless loss of life.”
