Bereaved families and seriously injured victims have described lengthy investigations, poor communication and a lack of support after road collisions, with new research warning that road crime is not being treated with the seriousness it deserves.
More people are killed or seriously injured on the roads than through homicide, yet victims and bereaved families say road crime continues to be treated as a lesser form of serious harm.
New research by the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales found that people affected by fatal and life-changing road collisions were frequently left in limbo. At the same time, police decided whether incidents would be treated as crimes.
That uncertainty left victims unclear about their access to information, support and justice, while lengthy investigations, court delays and poor communication added to the trauma of what had happened.
More than 1,500 people killed on roads
In the year ending June 2025, an estimated 29,896 people were killed or seriously injured on roads in England and Wales.
Of those, 1,579 people died – more than three times the number of people killed in homicides during the same period.
Despite the scale of the harm, victims interviewed for the report repeatedly said they felt road crime was not given the same level of seriousness or recognition as other forms of lethal violence.
One bereaved family member told researchers: “Road crime is not taken seriously, not at all. It’s not treated as a real crime, and that’s the way you feel the whole way through.”
Another said their experience with the justice system had made an already devastating situation even worse.
“The criminal justice system has made a horrible, nightmarish situation more nightmarish and worse,” they said.
Families left waiting for answers
The report found that victims’ experiences could vary significantly depending on the police officers dealing with their cases.
Some families praised experienced Family Liaison Officers for providing trauma-informed support and maintaining regular communication.
But others described being left without basic information, feeling dismissed, and having to chase updates repeatedly.
Some victims waited more than two months for witness statements to be taken.
The report also found that it took an average of 372 days for police to record an outcome in investigations involving offences of causing death by driving.
In some motoring cases, delays can ultimately mean the opportunity to bring criminal charges is lost.
For families already dealing with the death or life-changing injury of a loved one, such delays can add another layer of uncertainty.
Court process adds to trauma
Victims also reported difficulties participating in court proceedings.
Poor courtroom facilities and practical barriers meant some felt excluded from proceedings involving the person responsible for the collision.
Many were also dissatisfied with sentencing outcomes, particularly where a custodial sentence was not imposed following a fatal collision.
The findings suggest that the experience of the justice system can become a second source of distress for families who are already dealing with bereavement or serious injury.
Specialist support described as lifesaving
Unlike families bereaved through homicide, people who lose loved ones in road collisions are not eligible for support from the National Homicide Service.
The report highlights the role played by specialist road traffic collision support organisations, with victims describing the help they received as lifesaving.
But too many victims said they were never directly referred to specialist services.
Instead, some had to find help themselves through internet searches, personal contacts or their own research.
One bereaved victim told researchers: “I have had some very, very dark times and I don’t think I would still be here without her… They need more funding. Definitely need more funding. They do a fantastic job.”
The findings come after the surprise closure of RoadPeace in January 2026, which has raised further concerns about the future of specialist support.
There is currently no dedicated national funding stream for specialist road traffic collision victim support services.
Calls for roads policing to be treated as specialist work
Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales Claire Waxman OBE said the findings showed that the experiences described by victims were not inevitable.
“Behind every road death or serious injury is a victim, a grieving family and lives changed forever,” she said.
“Yet too many victims told me they felt road crime was not treated with the seriousness it deserved and that the harm they had suffered mattered less than other serious crimes.”
Waxman said victims had spoken about lengthy investigations, poor communication, repeated delays and a lack of support when they were most vulnerable.
“Some were forced to fight for basic information, answers and recognition while trying to cope with unimaginable loss and trauma,” she said.
Her report makes six formal recommendations aimed at improving investigations, strengthening support services and improving victims’ experiences throughout the criminal justice system.
The Victims’ Commissioner is also calling on the Government, through the Police Reform Bill, to recognise roads policing as a specialist area of policing.
The aim is to improve consistency in investigations, victim support and standards across England and Wales.
Road safety groups back calls for change
Ross Moorlock, chief executive of road safety charity Brake, said the report made a compelling case for a more victim-centred approach.
He called for timely and thorough investigations, stronger national standards, trauma-informed practice across agencies that deal with victims, and sustainable funding for specialist support services.
Jamie Hassall, executive director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), said the report highlighted longstanding concerns about the treatment of road victims.
“This report highlights what we have known for a long time – that road crime is not treated with the gravity it demands, and that road victims are swept aside by systemic failings of a process that is meant to support them,” he said.
Hassall welcomed calls for secure and sustainable funding for specialist, trauma-informed support for road victims and their families.
He also called for robust, seamless direct referral processes so victims can access practical and emotional support without having to find it themselves.
For families left dealing with a death or life-changing injury, the report concludes that the response after a collision can make a profound difference – and that specialist support and effective communication should not depend on which police officer happens to take responsibility for their case.
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