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CHAPTER FOUR: WHAT SHOULD OUR PRIORITIES BE?

4.1 Research, including statistics in Road Accidents Scotland ( RAS) and a review of the UK Government strategy 'Tomorrow's roads - safer for everyone', has already identified the following issues among those in most need of attention:

• speeding
• seatbelts
• impairment (drink-driving, drug driving/fatigue)
• distraction (mobile phones)
• rural roads
• accident cluster sites.

4.2 The consultation document asked consultees to comment on these and any other areas that, they feel, should be priorities in the strategy.

4.3 In addition, it may be that the needs of some groups of drivers, road users or pedestrians may require more focus than others. These might include:

• children
• young drivers
• motorcyclists
• elderly drivers
• pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders
• people who drive for work
• foreign drivers.

KEY PRIORITIES

4.4 Consultees were asked to provide their views on what they believe to be the key priorities for action in relation to road safety in Scotland and all 94 responses (100%) gave their opinions. Chart 4.1 illustrates the top 5 priorities outlined by consultees as being young drivers, speed limits, the need to reduce collisions/casualties, rural roads and drink-driving.

Chart 4.1
Theme 1: What should our priorities be?

Base: 94 consultees

4.5 The following sections discuss each of these priorities as defined by consultees. Within each section, we have identified a number of sub-themes.

Young Drivers

4.6 As Chart 4.1 shows, the highest proportion of consultees (52%) were of the opinion that young drivers should be a priority. This comprises responses from 49 consultees including 8 individuals and 41 organisations. The overall consensus was that young drivers should be a high priority on the road safety agenda. While most consultees simply stated "Young Drivers" with no further explanation, others raised specific issues concerning young drivers.

4.7 There was widespread agreement among consultees that young drivers are still over-represented in road traffic accidents. One safety organisation responding to this consultation maintained:

"The age group 17-23 continues to be over-represented as drivers in crashes. This is a national issue that should lend itself to resolution through common packages that deliver practical and attitudinal training. There are indications that this process should start as early as possible and that emphasis should be placed on parents and carers consistently setting a good example."
(Safety Organisation)

4.8 One local authority consultee was also of the same opinion:

"Young drivers should be a priority. It is clear that all across Scotland the agencies charged with reducing the casualty levels on our road network are having to deal with a disproportionate level of collisions involving drivers under 25 years of age. They are over-represented in the accident statistics, and while the many and diverse education campaigns undoubtedly help, more needs to be done.
(Local Authority)

4.9 A small number of consultees (2 local authorities and one transport organisation) also referred to the number of young drivers or passengers killed or injured on rural roads.

4.10 Many consultees referred specifically to young 'male' car drivers (aged 17-22) who, as one local authority explained, have "the highest accident involvement rate of any car drivers - more than double the overall rate". In addition, one transport organisation suggested that, for younger males from lower socio-economic groups, drink-driving is considered more acceptable than among other groups.

"Young men are clearly the greatest danger to themselves, their passengers and other road users and must be the main focus of education and training programmes."
(Transport Organisation)

4.11 The issue of young drivers was the main focus of one safety-related organisation responding to this consultation.

Speed Limits

4.12 Chart 4.1 shows that almost half the consultees (49%) felt speed limits should be made a priority or target (9 individuals and 37 organisations). The majority of these consultees acknowledged that there are drivers in Scotland driving at "inappropriate speed limits". One charity organisation maintained that "Speed may not be identified as a factor for all crash causations but it will affect the severity of all casualties and crashes". To overcome this, consultees felt that the key focus should be on speed management and that the strategy should make a clear statement relating to a key objective, namely, to get all road users to obey speed limits at all times.

4.13 One individual believed it is particularly noticeable that less people drive within the limits in built-up areas, speed cameras are no longer a deterrent and that penalties do not reflect the seriousness of the offence.

4.14 The issue of speeding on rural roads was also raised. One respondent, representing a transport organisation, stated rural roads are a major source of accidents and speed limits on these roads should reflect the use of the road. The respondent went on to state that, if the road is recognised as potentially being used by vulnerable road users, then the speed limit should reflect this. One other transport organisation suggested there should be a reduction of the speed limit to 60mph maximum.

"The Scottish Government should consider a fast-track speed management strategy to reduce speeds on rural roads where the national speed limit is inappropriate and continue to support the promotion of road crash reduction schemes and safer road design."
(Transport Organisation)

Reduce Casualties/Collisions

4.15 Reducing casualties/collisions was suggested as a priority by 45% of consultees. This included responses from 39 organisations and 3 individuals. Reducing casualties of car users (in particular young drivers) and pedestrians in urban areas was the main focus. A number of themes in relation to this priority were identified from the consultation responses. This included:

• the need for available and up-to-date crash and casualty statistics
• the need to focus on the prevention of casualties/collisions
• the improvement of road infrastructures to reduce casualties.

"In the broadest sense, priorities should be statistically-led to ensure maximum reduction of casualties."
(Local Authority)

"Casualty injury crashes result in greater personal suffering and financial loss to individuals and public authorities than non-injury crashes. Priorities should continue to be focused on casualty reduction… Road safety priorities should be statistically-led from reliable recorded crash and casualty data; focused on reducing the number of road casualties requiring hospital treatment and set to give greater priority to killed or serious injury crashes over slight or non-injury crashes."
(Local Authority)

4.16 One 'other' organisation made specific comment on the targets set to reduce the number of people killed or injured and suggested

"as a minimum, we suggest holding to the current 'towards 2010' targets of a 40% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured, a 50% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured, and a 10% reduction in the slight casualty rate, expressed as the number of people slightly injured per 100 million vehicle kilometres, but applying them as targets for 2014, using the average data for the base years 2002-2006."
('Other' organisation)

4.17 The topic of casualties/collisions was the main focus for one individual who considered the priority should be "the reduction of opportunities for accidents".

4.18 A safety organisation also noted a relationship between increased congestion on the roads and casualties.

"Increased congestion on the Scottish roads network is undoubtedly a major factor in road crashes and associated casualties... and this is an area which would merit some attention."
(Safety Organisation)

Rural Roads

4.19 As shown in Chart 4.1, 43% of consultees considered rural roads to be a priority. The responses comprised 36 from organisations and 4 from individuals. Rural roads have already been discussed in terms of young drivers and reducing the speed limits and these points were raised frequently when discussing rural roads per se. In addition to these issues, a number of consultees also referred specifically to the danger of rural roads, describing them as "where the majority of Scotland's fatal and serious injury crashes occur" (safety organisation).

4.20 One transport organisation was of the view that many of the accidents occur in rural areas where very little improvements have been made to the roads since they were initially metalled and there is the need to investigate the needs of modern traffic. One local authority also noted:

"Often there are relatively immovable obstacles within close proximity... resulting in more serious consequences."
(Local Authority)

4.21 One other local authority thought that a key priority area for the Scottish Road Safety Strategy should be rural road risk and suggested more research was necessary to establish, not just patterns of causations factors, but the full range of potential remedial measures from across the UK, Europe and internationally.

"Drivers, especially younger and inexperienced ones, drive with less care on rural roads than they do on urban roads, because they think these roads are safer because they are quieter. Unfortunately, they do not realise that rural roads present many unforeseen hazards, such as blind bends, hidden dips, animals and mud on the road."
(Safety Organisation)

Drink-driving

4.22 Drink driving was considered a priority area by 40% of consultees. This included responses from 39 organisations and one individual. Of those who were of the opinion drink-driving should be a high priority, one or more consultees made reference to:

• the incidence of deaths and serious injury caused by drink-driving
• the need for a change in legislation to establish a lower drink drive limit
• the need for drink drive education/campaigns
• the need to increase penalties for drink-driving convictions
• the promotion of public transport
• the need for random roadside breath tests.

"Reduction in the current drink-drive limit. Set level low enough to discourage anyone thinking that even having one drink is appropriate."
(Safety Organisation)

"Encourage frequent and improved public transport, particularly in rural areas, to lead motorists away from drink-driving temptation."
(Safety Organisation)

"This area continues to offer the prospect of substantial saving of life and reduction in injuries if we are able to reduce the incidence of drinking and driving. Vigorous enforcement supported by sharply focused education must form part of the strategy."
(Safety Organisation)

OTHER PRIORITIES

4.23 As well as these priorities, a number of others were also identified by smaller proportions of consultees. Reference was made by around one in 3 consultees to the need for risk assessment/statistics; policing/enforcement; pedestrians; children/the safety of young people; the road system/road infrastructure/signage; and road safety education/publicity/strategy. Between 21% and 27% also referred to cyclists, elderly drivers, motor cyclists, drug-driving and driver training.

4.24 Table 4.1 provides a list of 'other' priorities outlined by 10% or more of consultees.

Table 4.1
Theme 1: Other suggested priorities

4.25 As shown in table 4.1, 37% of consultees wanted to see greater use of risk assessments or statistics in order to tackle road safety issues and suggestions for the use of this data included the possibility of evidence-led priorities or campaigns.

4.26 The same number (37%) identified the need for greater policing or enforcement as a priority area; these consultees wanted to see more traffic police (or a dedicated traffic enforcement agency) and stressed the need for enforcement to be consistent; one police organisation commented "it is vital that enforcement conditions are the same across Scotland".

4.27 Comments on safety issues relating to pedestrians (35%) and to children (34%) included a wide range of comments on various possibilities for education programmes for child pedestrians or awareness courses for drivers. A local authority commented on the need for there to be "mandatory requirements for all road authorities to offer practical child pedestrian training such as Kerbcraft". In addition, 6 organisations saw the need to target low socio-economic areas:

"20% of fatalities are pedestrians, with children in the lowest socio-economic group more than four times as likely to be killed as a pedestrian as those in the highest socio-economic group" .
(Transport Organisation)

4.28 Other comments made by smaller numbers of consultees (less than 10%) were:

• Speed cameras
• Car manufacturers/technology
• HGV drivers/vehicles
• Increased budget - road safety
• Deprived groups at bigger risk/deprived areas
• Vision Zero Strategy
• Driver fatigue/distraction
• Foreign drivers
• Legislation
• Increased budget - hotspots
• Mobility problems
• Deer/horses
• Agencies' co-operation with other departments
• Medical care/first aid
• Road worthiness
• Insurance claims
• New drivers
• Develop National Road Safety Plan

In summary:

Organisations and individuals responding to this consultation outlined a wide range of priorities for the Scottish Government to address. Key priorities were young drivers, speed limits, rural roads, a reduction in casualties/collisions and drink-driving.

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