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Road Death Figures For Scotland Drop To 60-Year Low
Wed, 23 Jun 2010

The number of people killed or injured on Scotland’s roads has fallen to its lowest level for more than 60 years, according to new official statistics.

Road accidents in the country last year claimed the lives of 216 people, representing a 20 per cent drop from the number of road deaths in 2008 and the lowest figure since records began in 1947. The 20 per cent decline is also the highest year-on-year percentage fall on record.

A total of 15,013 people were killed or injured in road accidents in 2009 – 4 per cent, or 575 less than the previous year and down from more than 20,000 a decade ago.

According to the statistics, 2,269 people were seriously injured on the roads in 2009 - 12 per cent or 301 fewer than 2008 – while there was a 2 per cent drop in the number of people who suffered slight injuries (12,528).

There were also 13 per cent less injuries sustained by children in 2009, compared to the previous year, and a fall in the number of children killed on Scottish roads – from 20 in 2008 to five in 2009.

However, more motorcyclists were fatally injured last year (43) than in 2008 (34) and there was a 10 per cent year-on-year increase in the number cyclist injuries (803), although fewer cyclist fatalities were recorded.

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said: "This is a welcome drop to the lowest number of casualties for 60 years, continuing the downward trend witnessed in recent years."

"The number of deaths, and in particular those of children, fell last year. This is an area on which we have particularly focused over the last three years and we'll continue to work with schools, councils and the police and other partners to minimise the number of children and young people involved in road accidents ."

Kathleen Braidwood, road safety officer for RoSPA Scotland, added: "Road safety is everyone's responsibility and I hope that the current momentum continues so we can prevent even more needless suffering in future years."
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