Bereaved families and injured survivors of road collisions are frequently left uncertain about their status in the criminal justice system while police determine whether an incident will be treated as a crime, a report by the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales says.
Investigations, delays and poor communication
The research — based on in-depth interviews with people who were injured in collisions and with family members of those killed — finds that victims regularly encounter prolonged police inquiries, limited information and court delays that compound trauma and obstruct access to support services.
Victims described practical obstacles to participating in court proceedings, including unsuitable courtroom facilities and difficulties travelling to hearings. Many told researchers they were dissatisfied with sentencing outcomes, particularly when custodial sentences were not imposed following fatal collisions.
"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 bereaved family member said: "The criminal justice system has made a horrible, nightmarish situation more nightmarish and worse." These comments are cited directly in the report.
Scale of harm compared with homicide
The report highlights the scale of road harm in England and Wales. In the year ending June 2025 an estimated 29,896 people were killed or seriously injured on roads, including 1,579 fatalities. The number of deaths on roads was more than three times the number of homicide victims during the same period.
| Measure (year ending June 2025) | Count |
|---|---|
| People killed or seriously injured on roads | 29,896 |
| Road fatalities | 1,579 |
Gaps in specialist support and recognition
According to the study, very few victims of road collisions are referred to the specialist support services that can be critical in recovery. That shortfall, combined with uncertainty about whether an incident is being treated as criminal, leaves many victims without clarity on their entitlements to information, counselling and assistance from the criminal justice system.
Key problems identified in interviews include:
- delays while police decide whether to treat a collision as a criminal incident;
- poor and infrequent communication from investigatory agencies;
- difficulties accessing specialist victim services and practical support;
- a perception that road collisions receive less seriousness and recognition than other lethal harms;
- dissatisfaction with sentencing outcomes in fatal cases.
The report notes that there has been little previous research focusing specifically on the experiences of road collision victims inside the criminal justice process, making these findings an important contribution to understanding victim needs and systemic failings.
Implications for policy and practice
Victim accounts in the report suggest that policy and practice changes are needed to reduce avoidable uncertainty and to ensure consistent access to support. That could include clearer guidance for police on early victim engagement, routine referral pathways to specialist services and measures to reduce courtroom barriers for vulnerable participants.
While the report concentrates on England and Wales, its findings raise broader questions about how criminal justice systems recognise and respond to deaths and serious injuries on roads — and whether public and institutional perceptions of "road crime" undermine victims' access to timely information, care and a sense of justice.
The Victims’ Commissioner’s research adds to a growing body of evidence that road collisions impose a substantial burden of lethal harm, and that victims and families often feel their experiences are sidelined in comparison with other types of violent crime.
