Tough new road safety measures to cut deaths

The authorities pledged themselves to reducing the number of road deaths by 40% over the next decade.

15 June 2009 21:48 PM




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Scottish Ministers have set an ambitious road safety target.
The authorities pledged themselves to reducing the number of road deaths by 40% over the next decade.
The Transport Minister revealed the objective at a meeting in Aberdeen on Monday.
The news came one day after the death of a young footballer in an Aberdeenshire road crash.
Tom Goodwin, 17, had been looking forward to making his Highland League debut for Fortmartine United. However, on Sunday morning, he was killed by a lorry while walking on the A90 near Ellon in Aberdeenshire.
Scotland sees almost 300 traffic fatalities every year.
The Transport Minister’s new goal aims to cut the number of serious injuries by 50% and fatalities by 40%.
Stewart Stevenson said: "We've got to change driver attitudes, we've got to change the attitudes of all who use our roads.
“That's the big challenge for us over the next ten years as well as, of course, specific investments at places where the road network itself will require to be improved."
Measures to improve bus safety and a device designed to limit a vehicle’s speed will also be rolled out.
Young people are a target audience of the new proposals, with suggestions of fresh restrictions on newly qualified drivers.
Councillor Peter Argyle, of Aberdeenshire Council, explained: “It seems to be almost every weekend or every day we pick up the paper and see yet another terrible tragedy.
“What happened over this weekend is just part of that pattern.
“Casualties are reducing but we need to do an awful lot more to bring that down. It's a question of changing attitudes, changing behaviour.”
The new proposals will be Scotland’s first independent road safety strategy. They would also be the toughest in the UK.
Last updated: 15 June 2009, 22:37