The victims' commissioner for England and Wales, Claire Waxman, found that bereaved families and injured victims of road crime feel "forgotten by the system," with offences not treated with the seriousness of other serious crimes. Almost 30,000 people were killed or seriously injured on roads in the year to June 2025, including 1,579 deaths — more than three times the number killed in homicides — with 25-30% of collisions involving criminal driving such as drink, drug use or speeding.
Victims reported lengthy police investigations, poor communication, court delays, and waits of more than two months just for witness statements to be taken. Many were left dissatisfied when offenders avoided jail after a road death.
Waxman is urging the government to set stronger national standards and improve trauma-informed police training, while road safety charity Brake and the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety both said the report confirms long-standing failures in how road crime victims are treated.
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