West Midlands Pedestrian Fatalities Show 'Concerning' Increase
New statistics have revealed a sharp and worrying rise in the number of pedestrians killed on roads across the West Midlands, despite an overall reduction in serious road casualties. Provisional data set to be presented to the West Midlands Combined Authority's Transport Delivery Overview and Scrutiny Committee indicates that while the total number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) decreased in 2025, pedestrian deaths are climbing alarmingly.
Detailed Breakdown of Road Casualty Figures
The overall KSI count for 2025 stood at 1,078, down from 1,157 in 2024. However, the number of fatalities in 2025 was 50, one more than the previous year, though lower than the 57 in 2023 and 62 in 2022. Crucially, of those 50 deaths, 24 were pedestrians—three more than in 2024. This means pedestrians accounted for 48% of all road deaths in 2025, a significant jump from 43% in 2024 and just 28.5% in 2022.
The remaining fatalities involved:
- 13 drivers
- 3 passengers
- 8 motorcyclists
- 2 cyclists
Regional Variations and Motorway Concerns
Analysis of KSI data across local authorities shows mixed results. Birmingham, Dudley, and Sandwell all recorded year-on-year reductions in serious casualties. Birmingham still accounted for nearly half of all KSIs in the WMCA area with 500 in 2025, but this was a decrease from 556 in 2024. Dudley saw KSIs drop from 121 to 85, while Sandwell's fell from 156 to 124.
Conversely, Coventry, Solihull, Walsall, and Wolverhampton all experienced increases:
- Coventry: 105 KSIs in 2025 (up from 82)
- Solihull: 70 KSIs (up from 68)
- Walsall: 80 KSIs (up from 72)
- Wolverhampton: 83 KSIs (up from 79)
Additionally, KSIs on motorways rose to 28 in 2025 from 23 the previous year, adding another layer of concern for transport officials.
Transport Authority Response and Study Launch
In response to these troubling figures, transport bosses have initiated a comprehensive study to investigate the underlying causes. The report states: "It is concerning that the proportion of pedestrian fatalities has increased since 2022 from 28.5 per cent to 48 per cent in 2025." The study aims to drill down into pedestrian KSI data since 2021, with preliminary findings already identifying cluster locations for further examination.
Key focuses of the investigation include:
- Shortages in safe crossing facilities
- Pedestrian desire lines that do not align with existing infrastructure
- Common contributory factors in pedestrian KSIs to establish appropriate interventions
The report further notes that over half of all KSIs occur in Birmingham and that excessive or inappropriate speed remains the most prevalent contributory factor in fatal collisions across the region. Transport authorities emphasize their commitment to diving deeper into all available data to address this critical safety issue and develop targeted measures to protect vulnerable road users.
