The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Sharp spike in road deaths across scotland
statistics: Rise in number of fatalities throughout Tayside and Fife shows ‘battle to make our streets safer is far from won’
Road safety campaigners have reacted with dismay after the number of people killed on roads in Courier Country rose markedly last year.
New figures from Transport Scotland revealed the number of fatalities across Tayside shot up by a quarter in 2014, from 16 to 20, while Fife also saw an increase on the figure recorded 12 months previously.
That upward trend was replicated across the county as a whole, with the 200 people killed in reported road accidents last year representing a 16% rise on 2013’s figures.
Almost half of those who died were car users (93), although a sharp spike in the number of motorcyclists killed in particular – up from 23 to 31 – has also given cause for concern.
Transport minister Derek Mackay admitted the figures are “disappointing” and urged people to “take responsibility” on the road network, though he suggested changes to drink-drive laws and other measures will make a difference.
The number of fatal accidents clouded an otherwise encouraging picture in terms of casualty numbers across Scotland, as the total number fell by 2% from 11,504 to 11,240 – the lowest number since records began.
However, it was the increase in the number killed – from 172 to 200 – and a rise in the number of seriously injured – which went up 1% to 1,694 – which worried road safety groups.
Neil Greig, director of policy and research at the Institute of Advanced Motorists (Iam), said new roads and cars had delivered year-on-year death reductions for decades, but suggested the figures highlighted a need to focus on “underlying human factors” involved.
“While in many areas figures are falling, in some very important ones they have risen alarmingly,” he said.
“There has been a lot going on in road safety in Scotland, with projects such as the A9 average speed cameras coming on stream, but the challenge of breaking the link between rising traffic and crashes remains a huge one.”
The statistics showed seven children among the 200 deaths, two fewer than 2013, although the number of children seriously injured increased from 143 to 171. A total of 56 of the 200 killed were pedestrians, up 18, although there were five fewer cyclists killed.
Ed Morrow, from road safety charity Brake, said he hopes the “strong, positive action” by Holyrood to lower the drink-drive limit would show in future figures, and urged MSPs to pursue plans for a graduated driver licensing pilot scheme to cut young driver crashes.
Meanwhile, Stuart Hay, director of Living Streets Scotland, said the statistics are proof the “battle to make our streets safer is far from won”.
Mr Mackay admitted work is still needed if Scotland is to meet its target of reducing the number killed by 40% by 2020 against the 2004-08 baseline average.
“The longer-term downward trends and the annual decline in the total number of casualties are encouraging but more can, and must, be done,” he concluded.