LISTEN: MFR's Country Road Warning To Drivers
MFR's a backing a new campaign urging drivers to watch their speed on country roads - in a bid to cut the rising number of fatalities each year.
MFR's a backing a new campaign urging drivers to watch their speed on country roads - in a bid to cut the rising number of fatalities each year.
Country roads account for the largest number of fatal accidents on Scotland’s roads - over half (55%).
Last year alone 755 people were killed or seriously injured whilst driving on country roads and three out of four of those were men.
In the Aberdeenshire and Moray region, there have been 14 people killed so far this year, with 13 of these on country roads.
Last year, a total of 24 lost their lives in road accidents, with 20 of these on country roads.
Loss of control is the biggest cause of deaths on country roads, frequently associated with driving too fast for the conditions and leaving too little time to react to unpredictable road conditions and hazards.
Sgt Colin Matheson has been speaking to MFR News:
Minister for Transport and Islands Derek Mackay said: “We are committed to achieving safer road travel in Scotland for everyone and clearly we are heading in the right direction. However we still have a long way to go, particularly with younger male drivers. This campaign encourages motorists in Scotland to drive at an appropriate speed for the conditions, particularly on country roads as there is a higher proportion of fatalities in rural areas.
“We know the risks are associated with inappropriate and excessive speeds, which is why Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020 has speed as one of its priorities and includes a variety of measures to tackle the problem.
"We have been making good progress, but there is still more to be done to help reduce fatalities on our roads.”
Inspector Ewan Innes from the Aberdeenshire and Moray Road policing unit added: "The geography of the north east of Scotland is such that the majority of journeys are carried out on rural roads which can prove very challenging for motorists, and unfortunately we experience a high number of injury collisions on these routes.
"Around 80% of injuries to motorists occur on country roads in our region, a statistic we are continually working to reduce with our on-going work through Operation CEDAR (Challenge, Educate, Detect and Reduce).
“As the winter closes in and nights get darker, we will continue to look for any and all opportunities to engage with motorists through further operations and days of action. The safety of road users is a top priority for our officers throughout the North East.”