Almost 1 in 5 Scots speed to be on time, according to survey

Almost one in five people in Scotland break the speed limit and jump amber lights when running late for work, new research suggests.

The study of more than 1,000 Scottish adults found 34% rush through town if they face being late to their job.

More than half said they take risks when travelling in built-up areas, including 19% who said they break the speed limit and 19% who said they jump amber lights in a bid to be on time.

One in 20 also said they travel on `autopilot' every day and fail to pay full attention to their surroundings and other road users.

Censuswide carried out the survey of 1,012 people between February 2 and 6 for the Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland.

The findings have been published to mark the launch of the new In Town Slow Down road safety campaign.

Minister for Transport Humza Yousaf said: `We are committed to achieving safer road travel in Scotland for everyone and it's important drivers and riders travel at an appropriate speed for the environment and the conditions, especially in built-up areas where there are many vulnerable road users.

`Whether we drive, ride, cycle or walk, we all share the same road and our actions can have serious consequences. So don't risk it - the message is simple, in town, slow down.'

Chief Superintendent Stewart Carle, head of road policing at Police Scotland, said: `Reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads is a shared responsibility for all agencies and road users.

`It's shocking that, on average, a motorist is stopped for speeding in Scotland every eleven minutes.

`We hope this latest campaign will reduce casualties among road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists.'

Organisations including Living Streets Scotland and Cycling Scotland have backed the initiative.