The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Two killed in 24 hours as death returns to A9
TRAGEDIES: Man and woman victims of horrific accidents on road many felt had become safer
The road once indisputably Scotland’s most dangerous has reasserted its unwanted reputation once more by claiming a second life in just 24 hours.
Following a horrific two-car accident on the A9 in Highland Perthshire on Friday, it was confirmed that a female motorist had been killed.
She was at the wheel when her car was involved in a head-on crash with a second vehicle, closing the road for hours.
The death followed that of a 25-yearold man after a three-vehicle crash on Thursday evening near to Dunblane.
A 26-year-old woman and a 41-yearold man were also injured in that accident, near the Keir roundabout, and they remain in hospital.
In the latest accident, two cars collided at Kindallachan, around a mile south of Ballinluig services, at around 4.40pm on Friday.
The seriousness of the accident was immediately apparent, with the two vehicles sustaining serious damage.
Emergency services were scrambled to the scene from across Perthshire, with medical teams among the first to arrive.
An air ambulance was called to attend but was stood down shortly afterwards as the nature of the injuries became clear.
Police Scotland said the driver of the other car had escaped serious injury, though it is understood they are still being treated in hospital.
Officers are understood to be trying to contact the victim’s family and she has not yet been identified.
While police and medical teams worked at the scene, the A9 was closed between Ballinluig and Dunkeld, causing lengthy delays for other road users.
Diversion routes were available, but significant queues nonetheless built up and those alternative routes were soon gridlocked too.
The diversions saw many vehicles, including HGVs, having to make use of back roads and delays of around two hours were common.
The A9 was able to reopen after around four hours.
A spokesman for Police Scotland said: “There was sadly one female fatality following Friday evening’s accident.
“The driver of the other vehicle was not seriously injured.”
The two fatal accidents come following a relatively benign period for the A9 which has long been known as one of Scotland’s most dangerous roads.
In February it was reported that the number of people injured in accidents on the A9 had dropped by 37% since the introduction of average speed cameras.
Nonetheless, the deaths of two people in just 24 hours illustrates how dangerous the road remains as works continue to dual the road in its entirety.