New Research Uncovers the Most Dangerous Roads in Scotland

Motoring experts have carried out new research in Scotland and have been able to identify the ten areas deemed the most dangerous places to drive. These areas have the highest rates of serious injuries and deaths per 100,000 people.

Summer is Coming

There is little doubt that the change in weather as spring continues and summer becomes visible around the corner. Will see a huge increase in the amount of traffic on Scottish roads. Every year thousands of people choose this scenic country for their summer holidays, and road trips are incredibly popular, especially on routes such as the North Coast 500. The new research carried out by Road Angel has been looking into Scottish roads and collating and analysing road collision data. The roads focused on fall under the jurisdiction of Argyll & Bute, Midlothian, Dumfries and Galloway local authorities. They aimed to determine death or injury rates per 100,000 people for each authority based on statistics collected in 2021.

Highest Rates

Despite the fact that these areas are a lot more rural than Edinburgh and Glasgow, the roads are shown to be statistically much more dangerous. However, that does not mean that city driving should be taken for granted. The founder of Road Angel, Gary Digva, issued this reminder to all road users, no matter whether they are driving in the countryside or in city centres,"Whenever you’re behind the wheel, you should be driving with care, but especially during the Spring showers we’re beginning to see where a vehicle’s stopping distance is increased from 2 seconds to 4 seconds. With an average number of 130 deaths or serious injuries per 100,000 people across these top 10 regions, we’re urging motorists to stay safe on the roads and abide by the rules of the Highway Code.”

So what were the findings, and where are the 10 most dangerous areas in Scotland?

1. Midlothian - the most dangerous roads in Scotland are found in Midlothian. In 2021, there were 152.1 serious injuries or deaths in road incidents per 100,000 people.
2. Argyll and Bute landed in second place. In 2021, there were 146.1 serious injuries or deaths in road incidents per 100,000 people.
3. Dumfries and Galloway comes in third place. In 2021, they were 137.1 serious injuries or deaths in road incidents per 100,000 people.
4. West Lothian is recorded as being the fourth most dangerous area of Scotland for driving. In 2021, there were 135.8 serious injuries or deaths in road incidents per 100,000 people.
5. Angus came in fifth place. In 2021 there were 133.5 serious injuries or deaths in road incidents per 100,000 people.
6. Perth and Kinross ranked sixth. In 2021, there were 132 serious injuries or deaths in road incidents per 100,000 people.
7. The Highlands were discovered to be the seventh most dangerous area. In 2021, there were 123.9 serious injuries or deaths in road incidents per 100,000 people.
8. The Scottish Borders, despite being very rural, were the eighth most dangerous part. In 2021, there were 120.7 serious injuries or deaths in road incidents per 100,000 people.
9. Glasgow City came in ninth. In 2021, there were 109.7 serious injuries or deaths in road incidents per 100,000 people.
10. The City of Edinburgh is in the 10th spot. In 2021, there were 194 serious injuries or deaths in road incidents for 100,000 people.