Suffolk serious road crashes rise despite fewer deaths

Why it matters: The figures, prepared for Suffolk Constabulary's Accountability and Performance Panel, paint a mixed picture of road safety in the county – fewer people are dying on Suffolk's roads, but more are being seriously hurt.

The details: The report, covering the 12 months to April 2026, found:

• Fatal collisions fell from 16 to 14.
• Killed and Seriously Injured (KSI) collisions rose from 328 to 341.
• Pedestrian casualties increased from 52 to 71.
• Drivers or riders aged 17 to 24 accounted for 14.3% of KSI casualties, despite making up just 6.4% of full driving licence holders.

A roads make up only 10.71% of Suffolk's road network but accounted for 36.4% of KSI collisions in the past year. Ineffective observation – by a driver, rider or pedestrian – remained the most commonly recorded contributory factor, cited in 32% of KSI collisions.

What they're saying: Bernice Spurgeon, Legal Director in the Injury Services Team at Ellisons, said the statistics represent real lives changed forever.

"Any reduction in fatal collisions is welcome, but serious injuries can also change lives forever. Through my work, I meet people whose lives have been altered in an instant. Some recover well but others spend months or years rebuilding their lives, adapting to permanent injuries or learning to live with challenges they never expected. The phrase 'Killed and Seriously Injured' can sound quite clinical, but behind every statistic is a person, a family and a story that continues long after the emergency services have left the scene," she said.

She said two findings in particular deserved careful reflection.

"The report shows that more than a third of serious collisions happen on A roads, despite them representing only a small proportion of Suffolk's road network. Those roads connect communities, workplaces and families, but they also demand constant concentration, good observation and sound judgement. I was also struck by the increase in pedestrian casualties. It's a reminder that road safety isn't only about drivers. Whether we're walking, cycling, riding a motorcycle or travelling by car, we're all sharing the same road environment. Some road users are inevitably more vulnerable than others, making awareness and consideration even more important," she said.

Spurgeon, who says she was herself involved in a serious road traffic collision while on holiday, hopes the report prompts people to think differently about everyday journeys.

"Most journeys begin as completely ordinary journeys. People are driving to work, taking children to school, visiting friends, going on holiday or heading home. Nobody expects that journey to end in a serious collision. I can say that as I was involved in a serious road traffic accident myself whilst on holiday. Reports like this are not simply about understanding what happened last year. They're about helping all of us make safer decisions tomorrow. If reading these findings encourages someone to pay a little more attention, anticipate one more hazard or approach their next journey a little differently, then it has already achieved something worthwhile," she said.

For context: The report, titled "Keeping our Roads Safe – 2025/26", was submitted by the Chief Constable to the Accountability and Performance Panel meeting on Friday, 10 July 2026, held at Police Headquarters in Martlesham Heath. The panel holds Suffolk Constabulary to account against its Police and Crime Plan commitments, which include keeping Suffolk's roads safe through enforcement and road safety campaigns targeting the "Fatal Four" offences – speeding, drink or drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt and mobile phone use.

The bottom line: Suffolk's roads are seeing fewer fatal crashes, but more people are being seriously hurt – and with observation failures and A roads at the centre of the problem, road safety advocates say every road user has a part to play in reversing the trend.

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