News

13 May 2010
You don’t have to be speeding to be going too fast

On average, 70% of fatal road collisions in Scotland occur in non-built up areas. This weekend, police forces across Scotland are taking part in a campaign to remind drivers and motorcyclists to slow down and be mindful of the hazards they may face.

The three day campaign coordinated by ACPOS begins on Friday (14th) and increased patrols in every force area will be on the lookout for drivers speeding or driving dangerously.  The campaign will also target motorcyclists as the latest figures show that over half of motorcycle collisions which result in death or serious injury occur on country roads.

Research shows that drivers and bikers, particularly the young and inexperienced, take less care on country roads and the most common causes of road collisions are loss of control and inappropriate speed.

The campaign coincides with the North West 200 race in Northern Ireland, which attracts over 100,000 spectators, many of whom may be travelling through Scotland to get to the ferry ports.   With additional traffic on the roads, drivers and bikers need to be extra vigilant.  Country roads have many hazards such as:

• Debris on the road such as mud and leaves which can cause skidding
• Blind summits, dips in the road and tight bends
• Narrower roads
• Slow moving agricultural vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists
• Concealed entrances
• Wildlife and livestock

Chief Superintendent Charlie Common (Lothian and Borders Police) who is the lead for Casualty Reduction in Scotland said:

‘A harsh reality is that most fatalities in Scotland occur on country roads often as a result of excessive speed and unforeseen hazards. Narrow roads, concealed entrances, wildlife, livestock, tight bends and blind summits are just some of the contributing factors which increase the risks to drivers.

‘The speed limit for rural roads is 60mph but it is often too dangerous to travel at such a speed. Drivers and bikers need to assess road conditions, be aware of the potential hazards and adjust their speed accordingly.

‘Over the three days we will increase our patrols on country roads to ensure drivers and bikers are travelling safely.  We want everyone to enjoy their weekend and make it home safely.’

As well as tackling speeding and dangerous driving, officers will also be continuing their clampdown on drivers and passengers who fail to wear a seatbelt.  Although part of everyday enforcement, ACPOS and road safety partners have renewed the focus on seatbelts after police figures showed that an average of 27,000 drivers and passengers caught every year not wearing a seatbelt.

The campaign HAVE YOU CLICKED?’ was launched last month and aims to encourage drivers and passengers to put their seatbelt on every time they get in any vehicle. While seatbelt compliance rates are estimated to be 95%, about 14% of adults don’t wear their seatbelts every time. In Scotland, it is estimated that 1 in 3 people who are killed in vehicles in are not wearing seatbelts, and half of those people could have been saved had they worn a seatbelt.

More than fifty partners are backing the campaign and materials displaying the ‘HAVE YOU CLICKED?’ branding such as stickers and posters will be in and on vehicles, in workplaces, buildings and other public spaces around the country.

More information on the campaign can be found on the website – http://www.dontriskit.info/seatbelts