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There were fewer road casualties in Hertfordshire last year, new figures show.

Provisional figures from the Department for Transport suggest there were 2,396 road casualties in Hertfordshire in 2023 – a 5% fall from 2,518 the year before.

It was also a decrease from 3,690 in 2014, which saw the most injuries in the last 10 years.

In Hertfordshire, 410 people were seriously injured on the roads last year, 29 whom died. In 2022, road accidents caused the death of fewer people in the area – 24.

The figures are 'encouraging' but the loss of life and suffering was still 'unacceptable'. Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

A total of 1,645 road users were killed in crashes in 2023, a decline of four per cent from the 1,711 in 2022.

Nick Simmons, CEO of road crash victim charity RoadPeace, said the figures were “encouraging”, but traffic collisions still cause “unacceptable loss of life and extreme suffering”.

“The ripple effect goes far beyond the statistics; it devastates families and shatters communities.”

Across Britain, a total of 132,063 road casualties were recorded in 2023 – down three per cent from the previous year. Most were in London, with 26,138, while the North East saw the fewest, with 4,018.

In the East of England, 13,068 people were injured or killed.

Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards at IAM RoadSmart, said little progress has been made in reducing the number of deaths on the roads in 2023.

“It is a stark reminder to all parties that an updated road safety plan as well as a national roads renewal programme must be a priority for whomever forms the next government,” he added.

The RAC highlighted the growing number of pedestrian fatalities and called it “a red flag to the Government signifying just how dangerous our roads still are”.

There were 407 pedestrians killed on Britain’s roads in 2023.

RAC policy head Simon Williams said: “Any number of deaths on the road is too many, so we strongly encourage the new Government not to take these figures lightly and to make road safety a priority.

“We continue to believe the Government should reinstate road casualty reduction targets.”

The DfT said the Government’s THINK! Campaign aims to cut road deaths by changing attitudes and behaviours.

Hertfordshire figures showing drop in road victims reflect fall across Great Britain