Preventable Deaths Tracker
An evidence-based vigilance platform to learn lessons following Fatal Accident Inquiries in Scotland.
One in every four deaths, over 16,000, are avoidable each year in Scotland. However, only a few of these deaths are formally investigated.
Led by Dr Georgia Richards, the Preventable Deaths Tracker (PDT) makes information from death investigations usable, searchable and analysable to help identify risks, support learning, drive accountability, and measure progress.
Yearly average
From March 1999 to present
32
Mean number of determinations published each year.
0.2%
Percentage of determinations compared with total avoidable mortality.
Year to date
From January 2026 to present
6
The number of published determinations thus far in 2026.
The Preventable Deaths Tracker’s (PDT) interactive dashboard allows users to filter information by date of determinations, up to 4 locations, individual Judge/Sheriff names, and the names of organisations to which Recommendations were sent (i.e., Addressees) to obtain the statistics you need in real-time. You can select multiple filters at once, download the data and save outputs using the My Account feature.
These tools and statistics are free to use, but to help us keep tracking, a small fee (£0.50 per report) is charged for downloading data from the database (min £5 per download). See what the information will look like by downloading a Sample Report. You can also support us by donating here.
Geography
Determinations
From March 1999 to present
873
Deaths
From March 1999 to present
986
Published judge/sheriffs’ Fatal Accident Inquiries (FAIs) in Scotland.
Recommendations
From March 1999 to present
16.8%
Percentage of all determinations with recommendations
From March 1999 to present
651
Total number of all recommendations
Since new law
From 15/07/2017 to present
17.7%
Percentage of determinations with recommendations since the Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016
Overdue
From 15/07/2017 to present
63.9%
Percentage of determinations with overdue responses to recommendations since the Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016
Organisations sent reports
From March 1999 to present
54
Number of individuals or organisations listed as addressees on judge/sheriffs’ determinations
Loss of life cost
From March 1999 to present
£2.6bn
UK Gov – Average appraisal value estimates per death (£ in 2023 prices)
Responses by addressees
Top 30 from March 1999 to present
Determinations by year
From March 1999 to present
Determinations by location
6 from March 1999 to present
Determinations by judge/sheriff
Top 30 from March 1999 to present
About the Preventable Deaths Tracker
Our mission is to save lives by enabling learning from avoidable deaths. We build tools, conduct research, and educate the next generation.
Features of the Preventable Deaths Tracker
Making information accessible and usable to save lives
The features and benefits of using the Preventable Deaths Tracker’s (PDT) tools.
Scottish Courts website
The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service has manually published the FAI files of sheriffs’ Fatal Accident Enquiry (FAIs) determinations and their responses on the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service website since March 1999.
Preventable Deaths Tracker
The PDT automatically collects all published FAIs and responses from the Courts website, creating a searchable repository of both FAIs and responses and a relational database that enables real-time statistics, analyses and more!
Feature
Scottish Courts website
Preventable Deaths Tracker
Turns narrative information into structured data that’s stored in a relational database
Searchability of all FAIs since 1999
Searchability of all responses to FAIs since 1999
Filter by the date of the determinations
Filter by locations
Filter by the name of individual sheriffs/judges
Filter by who were sent recommenations through the standarisation of organisation names
Removal or merging of duplicate reports to ensure accurate statistics
Real-time insight on trends over time
Real-time tracking of responses to recommendations
Real-time statistics on the number of deaths , not just number of FAIs
Real-time statistics on the number of organisations sent recommendations
Real-time statistics on the economic impact of preventable deaths
Maps and data visualisations
Bespoke dashboards & surveillance tools
Ability to download data outputs
Ability to save outputs and re-run filters
Dynamic and specialised experts who can rapidly provide essential data
Donate and Support the Preventable Deaths Tracker
If you believe that we should learn from preventable deaths, we invite you to contribute.