Road casualties on the rise as 140 die in collisions in past year

The report from Transport Scotland revealed the finalised figures for the 2021 period.

140 people died on Scotland’s roads in 2021, latest transport report reveals iStock

There were 140 fatalities on Scotland’s roads in 2021, latest figures have confirmed.

Statistics also reveal that casualties from road accidents have risen from 5,056 in 2020 to 5,103 in 2021.

The figures, released on Wednesday by Transport Scotland, provide finalised figures for the 2021 period, after provisional numbers were released in May.

The number of road deaths were almost in line with 2020 with 140 fatalities recorded, one up on the previous year.

The report says casualty numbers have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and include the impact of the second lockdown period from January to April 2021.

The highest rate of accidents occurred in the category of males between 17 to 25 age group with 1.9 per thousand population.

This figure was 1.1 for females of the same age.

The overall rate of accidents was one per thousand population for age 17+.

Between 2010 and 2020, drink-drive accidents fell by 64% from 530 to 190, according to the latest available estimates in the report.

The report also contains an update on targets set within Scotland’s Road Safety Framework, which are due for delivery by 2030.

The targets aim to reduce the number of adults who are killed or seriously injured by 50% from the 2014-2018 framework.

It also aims to decrease child deaths and serious injuries by 60%.

The report shows that the reductions achieved in the 2021 period are:

  • People killed – 19%
  • People seriously injured – 44%
  • Children (aged < 16) killed – 23%
  • Children (aged < 16) seriously injured – 50%
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