Road (Highways Safety) related deaths

PFD Category
Reports: 499 Areas: 68 Earliest: Aug 2013 Latest: 12 Feb 2026

80% response rate (above 62% average). 34% of classified responses show concrete action taken. Reports rose 56% from 32 (2023) to 50 (2024).

Response Status
Responded 399 No Response 5 Historic 82 Pending 3
AI Classification
Action Taken 34%
Action Planned 42%
Noted 15%
Disputed 9%
Based on 151 classified responses
Reports by Quarter
PFD Reports
499 results
Tracey Haybittle
All Responded
2024-0469 22 Aug 2024 Milton Keynes
TomTom National Highways Google +1 more
Concerns summary Satnav verbal commands at a specific junction are confusing drivers, causing them to turn the wrong way onto a slip road, creating a frequent and serious risk of collisions.
Action taken summary TomTom recently implemented additional safeguards in their navigation systems to limit driver confusion by timing verbal commands closer to the actual exit and after passing the off-slip road. Google
Kial Thurman
All Responded
2024-0454 13 Aug 2024 Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire County Council
Concerns summary A rural, unlit road with a 60 mph limit narrows at a blind bend and bridge, causing frequent collisions. The national speed limit is too high, posing a risk of future deaths.
Action taken summary The Council conducted a site visit, analysed collision data, and assessed traffic speeds. They concluded existing safety features are adequate and disputed the need for a speed limit reduction, citing
Geoffrey Toase and Michael Midgley
All Responded
2024-0507 12 Aug 2024 Kingston Upon Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Concerns summary DVLA's license re-issue process is flawed due to insufficient gathering of medical history from specialists and GPs, tick-box forms, and lack of verification for self-declarations. This prevents full assessment of applicants' fitness to drive.
Action taken summary The DVLA outlined their existing processes for driver medical licensing, stating that doctors can request further information from healthcare professionals and take a holistic clinical view. They note
Scott Punshon
All Responded
2024-0428 29 Jul 2024 Durham and Darlington.
[REDACTED]
Concerns summary A fatal accident investigation identified critical safety issues with road markings, signage, and lighting that required urgent attention from the council's technical services.
Action taken summary Durham County Council has addressed the identified road safety issues by trimming overgrown vegetation, refreshing road markings, and realigning speed limit signage with cleared vegetation.
Jennifer Bunyan and Marion Bunyan
All Responded
2024-0406 26 Jul 2024 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Cambridgeshire County Council Department for Transport
Concerns summary An unsafe 60 mph speed limit on a degraded rural road, combined with insufficient inspections and years of delayed safety barrier implementation despite previous fatalities, created severe dangers.
Action taken summary The Department for Transport clarifies that highways maintenance funding allocation is for local authorities to manage based on local priorities and that the DfT does not intend to enforce cluster sit
Brogen-Lea Storey
All Responded
2024-0404 24 Jul 2024 Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent
Road Safety Management Staffordshire Co…
Concerns summary A busy road intersecting a well-used pedestrian track lacks adequate warnings for both drivers and pedestrians, and there are no measures to prevent pedestrians walking into traffic or to allow safe crossing.
Action taken summary Staffordshire County Council has established highway maintainable at public expense, conducted a site visit with Cannock District Council, and analysed historical road traffic collision data. They are
Barry Howard
All Responded
2024-0380 17 Jul 2024 Norfolk
Norfolk County Council
Concerns summary Inadequate and poorly placed warning signs for a flood-prone ford, coupled with insufficient and delayed road closure measures, failed to prevent incidents and posed a significant risk to road users.
Action taken summary Norfolk County Council has already inspected all 47 fords, temporarily closed two additional fords, and installed more robust signage at Shotesham Ford, including an automatic 'Ford Flooded' sign. Sho
George Dillon
All Responded
2024-0488 16 Jul 2024 Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton
National Police Chiefs’ Council Hampshire Constabulary
Concerns summary Police lacked adequate understanding, training, and procedures for responding to automated car crash alerts from electronic devices, leading to delayed response and potential risk to life.
Action taken summary Hampshire Constabulary has updated its guidance, effective immediately, for handling automated crash detection calls. Operators are now required to create a Grade 1 incident for deployment if unable t
Owen Gardner
All Responded
2024-0374 15 Jul 2024 Suffolk
Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust
Concerns summary A patient with cognitive deficit missed appointments because his next of kin were not consistently informed of schedules or short-notice changes, risking future adverse health outcomes.
Action taken summary Norfolk and Suffolk NHS has launched a 'Think Carer and Family LiA' programme (June 2024) to ensure NOK and carers are documented, and its clinical team has undertaken further reflection. The Trust is
Harry Dunn
All Responded
2024-0411 4 Jul 2024 Northamptonshire
Department of Health and Social Care
Concerns summary Severe ambulance resource shortages and lengthy hospital handover delays prevented timely emergency response, failing to meet target standards and posing a continuing risk of future deaths.
Action taken summary The DHSC Minister of State for Health has ordered a full independent investigation into NHS performance, with findings to inform a 10-year reform plan. They are maintaining increased ambulance capacit
Harry Dunn
All Responded
2024-0412 4 Jul 2024 Northamptonshire
Ministry of Defence Police Ministry of Defence Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Off…
Concerns summary Lack of adequate UK driver training and road sign familiarisation for US diplomatic personnel contributed to a fatal road collision. Concerns exist about the current training's coverage of wrong-way driving risks.
Action taken summary The government has received assurances from US authorities that driver training for US Visiting Forces and diplomats includes a focus on driving on the left. The FCDO has also written to all diplomati
Harry Dunn
Partially Responded
2024-0413 4 Jul 2024 Northamptonshire
Medicines and Healthcare products Regul… Department of Health and Social Care
Concerns summary Paramedics lack access to nasal or buccal analgesics available to other emergency services, hindering their ability to provide timely pain relief and potentially delaying life-saving pre-hospital treatment.
Action taken summary The DHSC stated the Health Secretary ordered an independent investigation into NHS performance and is working on a 10-year reform plan. They committed to taking the coroner's concerns into account for
Sonny Farrier
All Responded
2024-0358 3 Jul 2024 Durham and Darlington
Durham County Council
Concerns summary A specific road with a steep gradient and bend poses a significant hazard and risk of death to road users, especially in slippery conditions without effective mitigation.
Action taken summary Durham County Council has replaced a damaged marker post, repaired a weight restriction sign, provided a new salt bin, and repaired a void near the accident location. However, following review, they c
Paul Holmes
No Identified Response
2024-0344 27 Jun 2024 Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Tru…
Concerns summary Poor communication, lack of direct doctor-to-doctor handover, and unrecorded treatment plans during hospital transfer led to delayed administration of crucial intravenous fluids.
Colin McCallum
All Responded
2024-0279 21 May 2024 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
REDACTED
Concerns summary Unmanaged risk of flooding and standing water on a specific road stretch has led to multiple incidents of vehicles losing control, posing a continued risk of future deaths.
Charlie Hopkins and William Robinson
Partially Responded
2024-0262 14 May 2024 Surrey
Driver and Vehicle and Standards Agency Motor Ombudsman Department for Transport
Concerns summary Deficient MOT and car service procedures fail to detect critical airbag warning light and module faults, risking deaths. Also, insufficient safety measures for young, new drivers contribute to road risks.
James Pearson
No Identified Response
2024-0266 14 May 2024 Birmingham and Solihull
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Fou…
Concerns summary Lack of documented observations, insufficient doctor staffing for multiple critical patients, and delayed access to blood products hindered timely intervention, contributing to a patient's rapid deterioration and cardiac arrest.
John Bass
All Responded
2024-0251 8 May 2024 Surrey
Surrey County Council
Concerns summary Inadequate guidance for highway inspectors on vegetation encroachment on pavements and infrequent inspections of busy footpaths pose an ongoing risk to public safety.
Matthew Scott
All Responded
2024-0355 7 May 2024 Derby and Derbyshire
REDACTED
Concerns summary A lengthy, defective, and subsided section of road, prone to holding standing water that could freeze, created a significant hazard for drivers, leading to loss of vehicle control.
George Dillon
All Responded
2024-0489 1 May 2024 Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton
Hampshire County Council
Concerns summary A dangerous crest on a 60mph country road causes vehicles to lose control at lower speeds, exacerbated by poor visibility at night and a lack of adequate warning signs.
David Wellington
All Responded
2024-0233 25 Apr 2024 Black Country
Walsall MBC
Concerns summary A shared service road dangerously lacks designated pedestrian pathways, clear markings, or warning signs. Obstructions like bins and parked vehicles further reduce visibility and hinder emergency vehicle access.
Olayemi Kehinde
All Responded
2024-0218 24 Apr 2024 East London
North East London Foundation Trust
Concerns summary Concerns arose regarding staff's ability to identify serious incidents during supervised Section 17 leave and the Trust's failure to conduct a proper governance investigation into the incident.
Christopher Townsend
All Responded
2024-0283 5 Apr 2024 Worcestershire
Auto Cycle Union
Concerns summary The ACU's generic, pre-populated risk assessment for grass-track events and the lack of a mandatory event-specific safety plan for Club/National events create a significant risk of future deaths.
Shirley Hunt
All Responded
2024-0156 20 Mar 2024 York and North Yorkshire
Department for Transport
Concerns summary The absence of a legal requirement for seatbelts in the rear of motorhomes for adults and children over three creates a significant public safety risk.
Ellie Hunt
All Responded
2024-0157 20 Mar 2024 York and North Yorkshire
Department for Transport
Concerns summary The absence of a legal requirement for seatbelts in the rear of motorhomes for adults and children over three creates a significant public safety risk.