Annual report & accounts 2024-25

  1. Introduction
  2. Highlights
  3. Education & training
  4. Monitoring cycling, road safety and connecting people
    1. Monitoring everyday cycling in Scotland
    2. Road safety
    3. Connecting people
  5. Access to bikes, cycle parking & storage
  6. Transport Planning & Engineering
  7. Organisation

Monitoring cycling, road safety and connecting people

Road safety

 

Urgent and long-lasting change is needed to create safer roads for everyone. In collaboration with other road safety stakeholders, our work to improve safety for people cycling this year focused on the following areas.

 

Work-related road risk

We continued to advocate for raised safety standards for large commercial vehicles which pose increased risks to people cycling and walking:

  • Through the Scottish Occupational Road Safety Alliance (ScORSA), we presented to fleet operators, highlighting the steps they can take to improve safety for vulnerable road users.
  • Drivers of Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) and Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV), working in the commercial and public sector, took part in Road User Awareness Training, to help them drive safely around people on bikes. Road safety is an integral part of all our cycle training.
  • We shared research at the Road Safety GB conference, demonstrating how measures to incentivise higher fleet operating and driving standards can make our roads safer for all and how we will work with our partners to evidence how this can be achieved.

Justice outcomes for road traffic crimes

Over 40% of drivers found responsible for fatal crashes in 2015-2020 had a previous driving conviction.

Low numbers of lengthy driving bans are being issued for serious driving offences: We published an analysis of Scottish road safety sentencing data which highlighted

  • Previous findings by Police Scotland showing that 40% of drivers responsible for fatal crashes between 2015 and 2020 had previous driving convictions.
  • In the 10-year period from 2012 to 2022: 68,700 people were convicted in court of driving offences serious enough for a driving ban of any duration, having created a risk to themselves and other people.
  • Only 0.2% (121 people) received a lifetime driving ban, and only 0.1% (95 people) were banned for more than 10 years.
  • Additionally, only 13% of those convicted of careless driving were disqualified for any duration, with just 6% of speeding convictions resulting in a ban. 

Our analysis of road safety sentencing data was published in national media. It highlighted how the justice system can do more to remove the most dangerous drivers from our roads and improve safety for road users.