Recent research by the Scottish Government has found that over 70% of drivers in Scotland admit to taking risks whilst driving, and just over half confess to speeding.

The Scottish Government has launched a new campaign with Road Safety Scotland (part of Transport Scotland) encouraging drivers to consider how they can reduce their ‘risk factor’ on country roads.

Among the risks Scottish drivers admit to taking are:

Statistics show that three out of four road fatalities occur on Scotland’s country roads resulting in an average of 190 deaths per year.

A series of new adverts is being shown across Scotland during March as part of the campaign to make drivers aware of how even minor distractions and driving a bit too fast to read the road properly can cause serious accidents on country roads.

Risk-taking is strongly related to gender and age, and the riskiest drivers on Scotland’s roads are men under 45. Three quarters of those killed on rural roads are males, and one third are young drivers aged between 17-25.