Scotland achieves road casualty reduction targets

Date: 21/6/2011

Provisional figures released by the Scottish government have revealed that the number of people to lose their lives on the country's roads has fallen, along with the amount of recorded accidents.

During 2010, there were 13,324 road casualties reported in total, the lowest number recorded and an 11 per cent reduction on the previous year.

In addition, there was a four per cent decline in fatalities compared with 2009 and a 14 per cent fall in the number of people who were seriously injured.

Commenting on the news, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) states that the findings exceed the targets set in 2000 by the Department for Transport.

This goal was to reduce the number of cases of people being killed or seriously injured on the road by 40 per cent by 2010 - with Scotland achieving a fall of 55 per cent over the decade.

However, RoSPA notes that it is important this effort is maintained.

This is particularly vital as between 2009 and 2010 the number of pedestrians killed remained the same as the year before at 47 in total, while two more cyclists lost their lives during the period - seven in total.

And while the total fall in fatalities over the 12 months stood at four per cent, this was less than the decline that had been recorded in previous years.

Kathleen Braidwood, Road Safety Officer at the charity's Scottish arm, says: "Road safety is everyone's responsibility and there are many things we can all do to help make our roads safer."

Posted by Sarah Bailey