SCOTLAND HAS THE HIGHEST RATE OF ACCIDENTAL DEATHS IN UK
- 51 people per 100,000 died in accidents in Scotland, compared to an average of 34 across the whole UK in 2023/24
- People in Scotland 62% more likely to die in an accident than people in England
- Falls are the biggest cause of accidental death in Scotland
- People are almost three times as likely to die of accidental poisoning in Scotland than in England
- Fatal accidents in the UK have risen by a rate of 8% in one year and accidents now kill over 23,000 people annually – more than the capacity of the 02 Arena
- Almost 900,000 people – the equivalent of the entire population of Devon – are admitted to hospital due to accidents every year
- Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) calls on the Government to implement a National Accidents Prevention Strategy to tackle this public health emergency
Scotland has the highest rate of accidental deaths in the UK, reveals a new report from safety charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
Accidents killed 51 per 100,000 people in Scotland in 2023/24, compared to a UK-wide average of 34. This makes Scotland the most dangerous UK nation for accidental deaths, ahead of Wales (44 deaths per 100,000 people), Northern Ireland (39) and England (32), and means people in Scotland are 62% more likely to die in an accident than people in England.
There were also stark differences within Scotland itself, with those in the more deprived 50% of the population almost 28% more likely to be admitted to hospital than those in the less deprived 50%.
Deaths from accidents are rising across the UK, and hospital admissions due to accidents are putting immense pressure on the NHS. RoSPA found that an estimated 23,000 people – more than the capacity of the 02 Arena – lose their lives to accidents every year, while almost 900,000 people were admitted to hospital, the equivalent of the population of Devon passing through the NHS.
There was an 8% increase in the rate of all accidental deaths across the UK in 2023/24, with falls being the biggest killer across all nations. However, deaths from accidental poisoning (including drugs and alcohol) are particularly high in Scotland, with 21 people per 100,000 dying of this cause in 2023 – compared to 11 in Wales, 9 in Northern Ireland and 8 in England – meaning people in Scotland are almost three timesas likely to be killed in an accidental poisoning than in England.
Hospital admissions also rose by a rate of 3% over one year in Great Britain, including a 17% rate of increase in admissions caused by animals and 6% by poisonings.
Accidents have a tragic impact, not just on individuals, families and communities, but society as a whole. Immediate treatment costs to the NHS run to £6 billion annually, not including follow-up rehabilitation and other costs, and accidents account for a minimum of 5.2 million bed days, reducing capacity and driving up waiting lists across the health service. Meanwhile, the UK economy loses another £6 billion a year in output due to lost working days.
In 2024, RoSPA urged the Government to implement a National Accident Prevention Strategy to tackle accidents as a serious public health crisis. The charity also recently launched Towards a Safer Scotland, a manifesto for the 2026 Scottish Parliamentary Election, which sets out key priorities for accident prevention across Scotland.
RoSPA’s Annual Review of Accidents now shows that, without dedicated action, the crisis in accidental deaths is getting even worse. These shocking figures only strengthen the case for a coordinated, cross-sector government response, in order to reduce the suffering caused by preventable deaths and injuries, lessen the burden on the NHS and economy, and make society safer for everyone.
Becky Hickman, CEO of RoSPA, said: “Accidents devastate lives in an instant. They are often sudden, violent, and shocking, leaving families and communities to cope with consequences that can last a lifetime. What makes this devastation even harder to bear is the knowledge that so many of these incidents are entirely preventable.
“Our Annual Review of Accidents shows we are still not doing enough to reduce avoidable harm, life-changing injuries and personal tragedies.
“From our roads to our workplaces, the homes we live in to where we spend our leisure time, people in Britain are at increasing and unacceptable risk of suffering a serious accident. And it is those who are already vulnerable – young children, the elderly, and people in deprived communities – who are in the greatest danger.
“By keeping a close eye on trends, learning from patterns of injury, and acting on the evidence, we can help ensure that individuals, communities, and the wider society are better protected from the consequences of accidental injury.”
RoSPA’s Annual Review of Accidents is endorsed by Chris Boardman CBE, Olympic Gold Medal-winning cyclist and Commissioner at Active Travel England: “Serious injuries and deaths on our roads are often treated as an unfortunate but inevitable part of everyday life. They are not. In most cases, they are predictable and preventable.
“If we want more people to choose to walk, wheel or cycle, our streets must look and feel safe. Active Travel England is working with councils across the country to design safety into our streets, creating high-quality, joined-up networks that give people, especially children, real access to affordable, green and healthy transport.”
Dr Sally-Anne Wilson, Vice President, Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), said: “Emergency Departments see first-hand the rising impact of accidental injuries, particularly among older people.
“The patients I worry about most are those who fall from standing height, often in their own homes, and arrive in the ED with serious injuries such as hip or rib fractures. These seemingly simple accidents can have devastating consequences.
“We know that older people are disproportionately affected by crowding in Emergency Departments, and that delays transferring them to inpatient wards are linked with longer hospital stays and increased mortality.
“Prevention must be a priority. Anything we can do to reduce the number and severity of avoidable injuries will make a meaningful difference to patient outcomes and help relieve pressure on a stretched emergency care system.
“RCEM strongly supports RoSPA’s focus on this vital area of public health.”
