‘Vital to reduce death toll on rural roads’ – Caithness campaigner backs new countryside safety code
A Caithness campaigner has backed a new countryside road safety code after statistics revealed that rural road users remain at greater risk of death than those in urban areas.
New figures from rural insurance firm NFU Mutual show that rural roads remain disproportionately more dangerous than urban roads, accounting for 70 per cent more fatalities across Britain.
Analysing official DfT figures, NFU Mutual said there were more than double the number of fatalities on Scotland’s rural roads than urban highways in 2023. Ninety-nine people were killed on Scotland’s rural roads during that year, compared to 48 in urban areas.
It said that rural road deaths in the country had reduced from 127 in 2022, but that collisions on rural roads were still around four times more likely to result in a fatality.
NFU Mutual has now launched a new Code for Countryside Roads in a bid to try to end the tragic and avoidable loss of lives each year in the countryside.
The figures also show vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders and motorcyclists, are at a higher risk when considering the number of miles travelled.
Last year, 383 motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians lost their lives on the UK’s rural roads, while 559 people traveling in cars and vans died in collisions on countryside roads. However, the average number of miles travelled by vulnerable road users on rural roads was 19 times less than that of motorists.
In a survey of 250 horse owners and riders, NFU Mutual found that almost three in 10 had been involved in a collision on a rural road and 35 per cent had a horse which had been injured or killed on a collision on a rural road. One in four horse riders was uncomfortable riding on countryside roads.
Around one third of respondents to NFU Mutual’s November 2024 survey admitted to being concerned about navigating vulnerable road users on rural roads, suggesting many road users lack the confidence and knowledge to keep people walking, cycling or riding horses safe.
Nick Turner, chief executive of NFU Mutual, said: “Rural roads are the arteries of our countryside, vital to the rural economy and serving to connect us all to the benefits of the great outdoors.
“It is therefore all the more concerning that each year a vastly disproportionate number of lives are lost on rural roads. As the leading rural insurer with customers and agents living and working in rural communities across the UK, we are keenly aware of the importance of countryside roads and the distress and disruption caused by collisions – particularly on the sad occasions where a life is lost.
“Every road death is an avoidable tragedy, and every road user has a responsibility to protect themselves and others, but the disparity in safety between urban and rural roads and the higher risk shouldered by vulnerable road users suggests that more can be done.”
The Code for Countryside Roads is available at www.nfumutual.co.uk/ruralroads, with advice for all types of road user.
Iain Gregory, co-founder of the Caithness Roads Recovery campaign group, and a retired senior police officer with over 30 years’ experience in road traffic policing, welcomed the new code.
“At the start of winter, the risks to road users across the Highlands are greater than ever due to reduced hours of daylight, poor weather conditions, and the likelihood of snow, ice and slush on the road surface, all of which increase the need to practice defensive driving techniques, and to be constantly aware of changing weather, road and traffic conditions,” he said.
“The NFU code highlights the alarming number of fatalities on rural roads, with - sadly - 99 people in Scotland losing their lives during 2023, compared to 48 in urban areas.
“Whilst the long-term trend does show a decline in the number of fatal accidents, each and every statistic reflects a personal tragedy, and it is vital that we all work together to further reduce the annual toll across the country.
“The report also emphasises the proportionately higher risks faced by the most vulnerable road users, such as cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians, and horse riders, reporting that no less than 383 people on foot, or on two wheels, were killed on rural roads across the UK in 2023.
“The code refers to the ‘Hierarchy of Road Users’ as detailed in the latest edition of the Highway Code, which is intended to protect these groups, and it really is worth having a read of the guidance.
“Daily, we all face risk, as we travel across the Highlands, due to many factors - inadequate or poorly maintained roads certainly do not help - but by increasing our awareness, making sure that our vehicles are well prepared for winter, and by showing consideration to each other, we can all contribute to improving safety.
“CRR recommends studying the NFU report, which we believe makes a valuable contribution to road safety in the countryside.”
