The Shadow Transport Minister has called for investment to make Scotland’s roads safer after fatal accident figures showed nine people have died in the past eight days.
It is the highest number of road deaths over an eight-day period since November 2015, when 10 people died in nine days.
Of the nine fatal accidents that occurred across Scotland between December 15 and December 22, three were on the same day.
Around 5.05pm on Wednesday, December 20, a 57-year-old man died following a crash involving three vehicles on the A977 between Kincardine and Kinross.
At 10:35pm that evening, a 35-year-old female pedestrian was killed after being struck by a car on Cowdenbeath High Street. 10 minutes later, a second pedestrian, a 46-year-old man, died after being struck by a Land Rover on the A737 south of Beith.
That same day, a 84-year old male pedestrian died in Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital after being struck by a flatbed truck in Blantyre the previous day.
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The next day, a 68-year-old female driver died following a three-car crash on the A720 at Dreghorn.
Around 9.10am on Monday, December 18, a 41-year-old woman died in a collision involving a HGV and a Kia Sorento on the M8 at Hermiston Gait, before a 24-year-old woman died following a two-car crash on the B7038 Ayr Road, Kilmarnock later that same morning.
On Saturday, December 16, a 80-year-old woman died in a collision between a car and an articulated lorry, a day after a 89-year-old female driver died in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary following a crash involving a Hyundai I10 on the A6094.
The fatal accident figures published by Police Scotland show that 15 people have died on Scotland’s roads this month alone.
13 ‘serious’ crashes have also occurred in December- including seven in the past week - leaving four people with serious injuries and two in critical condition in hospital.
Responding to the latest figures, Scottish Conservative shadow transport minister, Graham Simpson MSP, told The Herald: “One life lost is one too many at any time of the year.
“There will be different reasons for each of these tragedies but we need to be investing in making our roads safer across the country.”
Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, Head of Road Policing for Police Scotland said: “Every death on Scotland’s roads is tragic. We work tirelessly to fully investigate every fatal road collision and provide support to the families of the victim.
“Road policing remains a priority for Police Scotland and we will continue to work very closely with a range of partners to improve road safety for all users.
“We all have a responsibility to use our roads safely. I urge every driver and road user to think about their behaviour on the road, be considerate towards others and help us make Scotland’s roads safe for everyone.”
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “First and foremost our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those injured or killed in these accidents.
“It would be inappropriate to comment directly on specific accidents which are still being investigated. As standard policy with all fatal accidents on the trunk road network, Transport Scotland will arrange to meet with Police Scotland and our Operating Company, at an appropriate point to obtain more information on the incidents and to identify if there is a need for a further road safety investigation.
“It is important for all road users to be ensure that they drive with due care and attention, and to give reasonable consideration to other vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists all year round, however, everyone needs to pay particular attention at this time of year when road conditions may be more challenging.
READ MORE: Number of people killed on Scotland's road reaches highest level since 2016
“Our road safety framework sets out a vision for Scotland to have the best road safety performance in the world by 2030 and an ambitious long term goal where no one is seriously injured or killed on our roads by 2050. We are continuing our efforts to meet the 2030 casualty reduction targets, allocating an annual road safety budget of over £31m in 2023-24.”
In October, figures released by Transport Scotland in October showed that the number of people killed on Scotland's roads reached a six-year high in 2022.
Car users accounted for the majority of the 173 fatalities, with 101 being killed last year, almost double the 55 who died in 2021.
The statistics also revealed that there were 33 pedestrian deaths, two bicycle users who were killed, and 25 motorbike fatalities.
In total, there were 5,621 casualties in 2022, up 10% than in 2021. Of those 1,776 were seriously injured. Trunk roads accounted for 35% of fatal collisions, 18% of serious collisions, and 18% of all collisions.
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