The South East saw a total of 258 fatalities in 2018 as 112 were killed in car crashes and 62 on motorcycles. A total of 19 people were killed on bicycles in the highest total across the country as 55 pedestrians were hit and killed by a road vehicle in the region.
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The East Midlands recorded the second-highest UK total with 196 fatalities in 2018, closely followed by the North West with 194 deaths and the South West who recorded184 fatalities.
London only recorded 112 fatal car accidents last year but saw the highest number of pedestrian deaths as 57 were killed in an incident involving a road car in the capital.
Department for Transport data revealed there were a total of 1,784 road deaths in the UK in 2018 in a one percent drop on 2017 figures.
Total road fatalities were down one percent on the previous year as incidents which led to serious injuries were up by two percent.
Fatalities are down 30 percent on data from 2008 after a dramatic plunge in 2004 when road deaths exceeded 3,000.
Research from the RAC Foundation and PACTS revealed there had been considerable reductions in the number of people killed or seriously injured in many regions across the country.
London saw a 40 percent reduction in incidents in the ten years from 2005 to 2015 while other Ireland and Scotland all saw a reduction of more than 30 percent.
However, progress has faltered in recent years and the number of people killed on UK roads has remained stable since 2012 when a similar number of 1,754 people lost their lives.
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RAC head of policy, Nicholas Leyes said: “This latest set of data makes for disappointing reading. In short, there has been no meaningful reduction in fatalities at a national level for seven consecutive years now.
“While we welcome the Government’s renewed focus with the publication of its recent road safety statement, there needs to be a significant shift in policy that will result in far fewer serious collisions.”
The DfT data revealed car occupants accounted for 44 percent of all casualties as 777 occupants were killed.
Pedestrian fatalities decreased by three percent but child pedestrian deaths were up by 27 percent to jump from 22 to 28 fatalities last year.
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Motorway fatalities were also up a massive eight percent since 2017 as 107 people were killed on the road networks.
The data comes as concerns mount over the safety of the smart motorway networks after Highways England chief Jim O’Sullivan branded the all-lane active systems as too complicated.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps recently admitted people were dying on the smart motorway systems and a review was being launched into their safety.
Nicholas Lyes added: “Of particular concern are the rises in fatalities among older age groups and a spike in fatalities on motorways – some worrying trends are emerging here that require immediate investigation, to understand the reasons for these increases and what can be done to reduce them.”
He added: “Historically, Great Britain has been proud of its road safety record, but these figures clearly show that is no room for complacency.”
The government’s road safety statement revealed a plan to achieve safer vehicles and safer roads in the UK alongside better education of young drivers to reduce road fatalities.
The report also confirmed reviews were ongoing regarding legislation to ban pavement parking in the UK and the introduction of a Graduated Driving Licensing scheme which would see restrictions placed on inexperienced motorists for safety purposes.
The government also said it will look to introduce safer vehicles and develop rural road networks which accounted for the highest number of fatalities on UK roads.
However, the government still claims the UK has a good record of reducing fatalities and revealed the nation ranked third in Europe behind Norway and Sweden in terms of road safety.
They say despite no major change in the number of reported fatalities, traffic volumes had increased by eight percent since 2010.
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