Skip to main content

Road risks from motor vehicles

Road safety risks are mainly from motor vehicles.
By MJ Woof March 30, 2021 Read time: 1 min
Vans and light commercial vehicles have the highest risk of involvement in crashes according to a new report – image © courtesy of Mike Woof
Fatalities and serious injuries that occur on roads are most likely to be caused by crashes involving motor vehicles. That is the conclusion of a new report from the European Transport Safety Commission (ETSC).

According to the report, the majority of deaths and serious injuries in road crashes are either to vehicle occupants or by people in an impact with a vehicle. In relation to distance travelled, crashes involving vans and light goods vehicles pose the highest percentage risk to other road users. The report also states that pedestrians and cyclists are those most at risk of death or serious injury in the event of a crash involving a motor vehicle. Meanwhile, motorcyclists face the highest rate of road fatalities in relation to distance travelled.

The report also highlights that in contrast, pedestrians and cyclists are rarely involved in collisions that result in the death of other road users.

Related Content

  • Wrong time to end right turns?
    March 15, 2024
    Banning right-hand turns after stopping for a red light is gaining momentum in the US. But debate continues about whether it will result in fewer incidents between vehicles and alternative mobility users. David Arminas reports.
  • French road deaths cause for concern
    August 29, 2017
    France has achieved major results in reducing road deaths in the last 10 years but now appears to have hit a barrier with regard to better road safety. The figures for road deaths in July 2017 were better than for 2016. There were 346 fatalities in July 2017 compared with 356 road deaths in July 2016. However there were 5,121 crashes in July 2017, an increase of 41 from July 2016. At the same time there were 7,204 injuries in July 2017, an increase of 226 from July 2016, although serious injuries requiring
  • Safer speeds required says new report
    June 18, 2018
    A new report highlights speeding as a significant factor in a worryingly high percentage of road crashes. According to the report, inappropriate speed is responsible for between 20% and 30% of all road crashes involving fatalities. The report is based on a review of research into the relationship between speed and crash risk and has been produced by the OECD’s International Transport Forum (ITF).
  • New York’s safety drive is saving lives on the road
    March 10, 2017
    New York City is now working towards cutting out traffic deaths, as part of a Vision Zero programme. The strategy is already seeing major benefits with traffic fatalities having been reduced by 23% since 2013. An official report reveals that the city’s road safety programme is having a positive effect, due in part to the use of data to identify prime factors in road deaths from crashes.