Police target rural road dangers

All of Scotland's police forces are taking part in the campaign

Country and rural roads will be targeted in a weekend-long campaign aimed at reducing the number of deaths and injuries.

Scotland's eight police forces will be taking part in high-visibility patrols focusing on young drivers and motorcyclists.

Scottish Government statistics showed seven out 10 fatal accidents happened on rural roads.

The number of fatal and serious motorcycle casualties has also risen.

Involvement in accidents by car drivers was highest for men between 17 and 22-years-old.

The campaign is being led by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS.)

Ch Supt Michael McCormick, of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, said: "This campaign will focus on motorcyclists and young drivers. These are the two groups of road users who tend to drive too fast for the road conditions."

Regular policing

The weekend is designed to highlight regular, on-going road policing activity throughout the country to reduce the number of motorists killed or seriously injured on country roads.

Ch Supt McCormick added: "We have had success in reducing the number of children killed, seriously injured or injured on our country roads during the past number of years, and overall road casualty numbers are falling.

"But, when you look closely at the statistics for young drivers and motorcyclists in their 30's and 40's, the numbers killed and injured are going up."

The main types of accidents on rural roads are head-on crashes, running off the road and accidents at junctions.