The number of people killed on Britain's roads increased last year, revealed the latest figures from the Department of Transport.
But the number of those seriously injured in road traffic accidents showed a slight decline.
The official figures showed that 3,508 people were killed on the roads in 2003, an increase if 2% on 2002. 37,215 people were killed or seriously injured in 2003, 6% fewer than in 2002.
In total there were 290,607 road casualties in Great Britain during the year, 4% fewer than in 2002.
The government said the number of pedestrians killed in road accidents fell, but that there had been a big jump in the number of motorcycle deaths.
The fatality rate for motorcyclists rose by 14% compared with the previous year.
Road safety minister David Jamieson said the government needed to find out why the number of fatalities had increased despite a fall in the number of casualties overall.
He said the number of deaths on minor and non-built up roads had increased particularly.
