Surge in motorcycle deaths follows 161mph speeding offence
Deaths rose by 13 per cent to 384 in 2025, marking the second consecutive year of increases and making riders the largest group of road users to record deaths, provisional data released by the Department for Transport (DfT) shows. Separate figures have revealed a motorcyclist was clocked at 161mph[1] in the highest recorded speeding offence in five years across the West Mercia Police area. 
'Action needed to reduce deaths'
Paul Steinberg, deputy chief executive of The Road Safety Trust, said: "Everyone who uses our roads has a responsibility to make safe choices that protect both themselves and others.
"Excessive speed leaves very little time to anticipate hazards, react to other road users and stop safely. "Motorcyclists already face disproportionate risk. "The latest provisional Department for Transport figures show that 384 motorcycle users were killed on Great Britain's roads in 2025.
"That's a 13% increase on the previous year. "Reducing these deaths requires safer riding, safe speeds, effective enforcement and evidence-based interventions." While the DfT figures released in May do not specify the causes behind the rise, they came weeks before West Mercia Police revealed details of the serious speeding offence on the A5 in Shropshire.
'Trauma and devastation'
The Yamaha rider was clocked at 161mph and then recorded at 130mph on the same stretch of road just 12 minutes later. A car caught doing 127mph on the A435 Hollywood bypass in Worcestershire was the second fastest speed in the data released by the force. The National Motorcyclists' Council has said further research is needed to understand the involvement of other road users once the full DfT casualty report is published.
Road safety charity Brake has also issued a warning about the lethal consequences of speeding. Chief executive Ross Moorlock said: "Five people are killed every day on UK roads. "Every time we drive faster than the speed limit, or too fast for the road conditions, we increase the risk of a crash - and we increase the chance that someone will be killed or hurt on a road.
"We know from the latest government road casualty statistics that speed is a factor in almost three-fifths of road deaths." West Mercia Police said that examples of high speed are "simply reckless driving or riding behaviour" and that one of its "top priorities" is reducing deaths and serious injuries on the roads. The force said such excessive speed not only endangers the rider but also puts all road users at risk.
Portable TruCam II[5] speed cameras have been rolled out across police teams in the region as part of a drive to reduce collisions.
Mr Moorlock added: "Every year at Brake, we support more than 2,000 families who have been bereaved or injured in a road crash, so we see first-hand the trauma and devastation that follows a road death or injury for everyone involved."
References
- ^ motorcyclist was clocked at 161mph (www.worcesternews.co.uk)
- ^ Motorcyclist doing 161mph is highest speed in five years (%20https)
- ^ M5 speed cameras catches 20,000 over 50mph temporary limit (www.worcesternews.co.uk)
- ^ What is TruCam speed camera being used in Worcestershire? (www.worcesternews.co.uk)
- ^ TruCam II (www.worcesternews.co.uk)