Thompsons are proud to support Scotland’s first dedicated Road Safety Week commencing 21st March 2022 to 27th March 2022.
The week-long initiative’s primary focus is to raise the standard of safety on Scotland’s roads and to kickstart the Scottish Government’s Road Safety Framework to 2030 vision to have the best road safety performance in the world by 2030.
According to 2021 Transport Scotland report[1], there were 4,992 road casualties reported in 2020. Despite representing a 35% decrease on the previous year, cognisance should be given to the Covid 19 pandemic and the severe impact it had on the number of vehicles on our country’s roads during that twelve-month period. Despite this, Scotland has vastly improved over the past decade in terms of road safety with a reduction of around 60% in casualties in that time. With the overall statistics heading in the right direction, road safety continues to be of upmost importance to Scotland to ensure that the number of accidents, casualties and deaths continues to decrease.
Throughout Scotland, Road Safety Week organisers have encouraged local communities to raise awareness, in any way possible, to ensure the population are actively considering others when out and about. Some of the ways to get involved you could also consider are:
- Regular tyre checks
- Road safety workshops
- Encouraging others to change their commute method
- Brushing up on the Highway Code
All road users have a part to play by keeping themselves and others safe on the roads. As covid restrictions are almost entirely eased, it is clear that there will be an increase in the number of people using Scotland’s roads. Throughout this week and beyond, it is vital that any road user – whether it’s by car, bus, walking etc – recognises the dangers of using our roads and ensures that extra care is taken to reduce accidents and threat to life of others in the same position.
At Thompsons, we understand that being involved in road traffic accidents can unfortunately still occur. If you have found yourself injured as a result of a road traffic accident in Scotland that was not your fault, you are likely to have a number of questions. Our dedicated Road Traffic team are always on hand to provide expert legal advice and guide you through the process.
Blog by Kirsty Rodden, Trainee Solicitor
[1] Transport Scotland: Key Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2020 Key Findings report.