The Northern Ireland Road Safety Strategy (NIRSS) to 2030 Annual Statistical Report, 2024 published

The Northern Ireland Road Safety Strategy (NIRSS) to 2030 Annual Statistical Report, 2024 has been published today.

The NIRSS to 2030 annual statistics are now available.  These data provide the finalised Accredited Official Statistics which track the 2023 position against the four targets and various key performance indicators contained in the Strategy.

The publication is available on the ASRB website at: Draft Northern Ireland Road Safety Strategy to 2030 statistics

Key Points 

In 2023

• There were 71 fatalities in road traffic collisions in 2023. This represents an increase of 5% from the 2014-2018 Strategy baseline figure (68), and an increase of 29% from 2022.
• There were 880 people seriously injured (SI) in road traffic collisions in 2023 which is a reduction of 3% compared to 2022 and 17% higher than the baseline figure of 751.
• There were 83 children (aged 0 to 15) killed or seriously injured (KSIs) in road traffic collisions in 2023 – 9 fewer than in 2022. This represents an increase of 17% from the baseline figure (71) and a decrease of 10% over the year.
• There were 192 young people (aged 16 to 24) KSIs in road traffic collisions in 2023, four fewer than the 2014-18 baseline figure of 196 and a 2% decrease on the number recorded in 2022.
• In 2023 car users had the lowest rate of KSIs per kilometres travelled (3 KSIs per 100 million kilometres travelled by car or van) compared to other road user groups, and hence are considered at less risk. Motorcyclists had the greatest rate (314 motorcycle KSIs per 100 million kilometres travelled by motorcycle), with the rates for pedal cyclists (72 pedal cycle KSIs per 100 million kilometres cycled) and pedestrians (37 pedestrian KSIs per 100 million kilometres walked) being in between.
• People over the age of 70 had 46 KSIs per 100,000 population. This rate is 6% above that recorded in 2022 and is 7% above the baseline figure of 42.
• There were 47 people killed in collisions on rural roads. The numbers recorded in 2023 are up 57% on 2022 (30). Fatalities on rural roads are now 7% above the baseline figure of 44.
• There were 11 people killed in road traffic collisions where alcohol or drugs was attributed.  This is one more than the ten recorded in 2022. The number in 2023 is 37% below the baseline level of 17.
• There were 240 KSIs resulting from collisions involving drivers under the age of 25.  This is a 2% decrease from the number recorded in 2022 (245). The number in 2023 is just below the baseline number of 244.
• Over the three-year period 2021-2023, novice drivers (those within 2 years of passing their driving test) were involved in road traffic collisions that resulted in the death or serious injury of, on average, 125 people each year which represents a 10% increase on the 2014-2016 baseline average of 113 KSIs per annum. The greatest proportion of these involved a driver within six months of passing their test (39%), highlighting the increased risk associated with new drivers in the first 6 months after passing their driving test.
• In 2023, just under two-thirds (65%) of vehicles exceeded the speed limits on built-up roads (all road types up to 40mph) under free-running conditions (11pm-7am). On non-built-up roads, the proportion of vehicles exceeding the speed limits, under free-running conditions, was greatest on dual carriageways (50%), followed by single carriageways above 40mph (32%) and motorways (19%).

Notes to editors: 

1. The Northern Ireland Road Safety Strategy (NIRSS) to 2030 Annual Statistical Report, 2023 is the second publication in the lifetime of the reporting on the targets and KPIs set out in the Road Safety Strategy to 2030. Further information on the Strategy is available at: Northern Ireland Road Safety Strategy to 2030  
2. The report is typically based on the period 1 January to 31 December 2023. The report monitors the progress in 2023 of the targets and key performance indicators (KPIs) set out in the NIRSS.  The targets and indicators are measured against a baseline of the 2014-2018 average figures (unless otherwise stated).
3. There are four principal targets and a suite of thirty-three key performance indicators (KPIs) which currently underpin the road safety strategy.  Many of the indicators are calculated as a rate in order to properly take account of the changing level of exposure, and hence risk, attached to the subject group.  
4. This report details progress to date on the four key targets and across the strategy’s KPIs.  A number of the indicators, when reported by single year, show a lot of volatility. In these cases an additional figure reporting on a five year rolling average (or smoothed trend) has been included to give a clearer indication of which direction the underlying trend is moving.
5. With regards to the speeding KPI, free-running speed (as recorded between 11pm to 7am) is considered to be the speed at which vehicles will travel when they are unimpeded by other vehicles. It is considered a truer reflection of a motorist’s speeding behavior and, in the absence of congestion, would generally be higher than a 24 hour or daytime speeding rate.
6. These official statistics were independently reviewed by the UK Statistics Authority in September 2016, comprising a full assessment against the Code of Practice for Statistics. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled ‘Accredited Official Statistics’
7. For more information relating to this publication, including additional analysis, breakdowns of data, or alternative formats please contact:

• Telephone: (028) 9054 0029 
• E-mail: asrb@nisra.gov.uk
• Website: www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/topics/dfi-statistics-and-research

8. All media queries should be directed to the Department for Infrastructure Press Office at: press.office@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk
9. Follow the Department on Twitter @deptinfra and on Facebook @DepartmentforInfrastructure and on LinkedIn at Department for Infrastructure
10. The Executive Information Service operates an out-of-hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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