NFU Mutual has called for greater training measures to tackle “persistent danger” on rural roads, as analysis by the rural insurance company has found that 956 people were killed on countryside roads in 2024.
According to the latest Department for Transport figures, a total of 9,887 people have been killed on rural roads in the past 10 years, between the start of 2015 and the end of last year.
These findings are revealed within NFU Mutual’s Rural Road Safety Report, which also highlighted that there were 72% more fatalities on rural roads in comparison to urban roads last year – with the North West of England being the only region in Great Britain that lost more people to urban road collisions than crashes in rural areas.
The report noted that rural roads are also significantly more deadly when taking into account miles travelled.
In 2024, there were reportedly 6.3 deaths per billion miles travelled on countryside roads, compared to 4.7 on urban roads and 1.3 on motorways.
In the light of these recent figures, the rural insurance company has urged the government to provide greater training on rural roads for learner drivers and to introduce a ‘Rural Road Safety Awareness Course’ for those who commit driving offences on rural roads.
Survey
NFU Mutual’s report also features a survey of 2,000 motorists between September and October 2025, which aims to understand why countryside roads are disproportionately dangerous for all road users.
Within the survey, almost a third of motorists admitted to rarely or never driving on rural roads when learning, with over a quarter saying that they felt unprepared to drive on rural roads following their test.
More than eight in 10 respondents believed that learners should have more training and testing for driving on rural roads, while 71% supported a Rural Road Safety Awareness Course for those who break rules on countryside roads.
NFU Mutual
Commenting on the report, the chief executive of NFU Mutual, Nick Turner said: “In the 10 years to the end of 2024, 10,000 lives were lost on Britain’s rural roads; to put that into perspective, that’s almost three loved ones killed each day over the last decade.
“These figures shock and worry me, as they should anybody who lives, works in, or visits our countryside, and I’m calling on the government to ensure that the new national road safety strategy addresses this avoidable loss of life.”
One of NFU Mutual’s recommendations is to ensure learner drivers get sufficient training on rural roads, as Turner believes the current theory and practical testing does not fully prepare them for the hazards that can be found on rural roads, such as blind bends or narrow lanes.
NFU Mutual also stated that it would like to see a course, similar to the National Speed Awareness Courses, to be introduced for offenders who commit driving violations on rural roads,
Turner explained: “National Speed Awareness Courses have been shown to cut rates of reoffending, and a well-designed course for rural roads could help reduce behaviours which lead to tragic consequences.
“It would also send a powerful message that rural road safety is being taken seriously, acknowledging the extra risk that comes with using a rural road.”
Road users
Another focus of NFU Mutual’s report is the road users who have been found to be particularly vulnerable on country roads.
The report outlined that 115 pedestrians and 42 cyclists lost their lives in collisions on rural roads last year.
This is despite the average person travelling just 583 miles per year by these modes of transport on rural roads, which is 50 times less than the distance covered by motorists and their passengers.
Motorcyclists were found to be even more at risk, as 253 deaths were recorded on rural roads last year, despite them covering a fraction of the mileage driven by motorists.
