A major new road safety campaign is urging drivers across the UK to reduce their speed by just five miles per hour, in a bid to drastically cut the number and severity of collisions. The initiative, launched by the Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland, highlights the potentially life-saving impact of a small change in driver behaviour.
The Stark Reality: Speed and Fatalities
The campaign launch follows sobering data from 2024, which recorded 116 fatalities or serious casualties on roads in East Ayrshire alone. National statistics reveal a critical insight: fatal collisions caused by drivers travelling at 65mph could be reduced by half if speed was lowered by only five mph.
While 42 percent of reported casualties in Scotland occur on rural routes, these roads account for nearly two-thirds of all deaths, primarily due to the higher speeds involved. The campaign specifically reminds motorists to take extra care on these non-built-up roads.
Official Warnings from the Front Line
Kenny Barbour, Deputy Assistant Chief Officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), issued a stark warning from experience. "Driving at speed not only places the driver and any passengers at risk, but everyone else on the road, particularly pedestrians and cyclists," he said.
"Sadly, many of our crews have responded to road traffic collisions and they witness the devastating aftermath. We always urge drivers to stick to speed limits and to drive to road and weather conditions to help keep themselves and others safe."
Government Plea for Collective Responsibility
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, reinforced the message, stating that collisions can happen to any driver, regardless of experience. "We know that speeding makes collisions more likely and more serious, and no-one should die or be seriously-injured on our roads," Hyslop said.
"You only have to lose control once, and the consequences can be devastating. We’re urging drivers to make our roads safer for everyone by reducing their speed."
The latest official figures underscore the urgency, showing that speeding contributes to one in five deaths on Scotland’s roads, significantly increasing the likelihood and severity of any incident.
The awareness campaign will run across television, cinema, radio, and digital platforms, operating in tandem with ongoing police enforcement activity to deter speeding.
