POLICE Scotland’s annual motorcycle safety campaign urges drivers to look out for motorcyclists as riders take to the road this summer.
The campaign runs from March to September, covering a period that sees the highest number of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured.
Motorcyclists are one of the most vulnerable road users and are disproportionately represented in the number of people killed on Scotland’s roads.
In 2023/24, there were 151 road deaths and 27 were motorcyclists. Motorcyclists make up around one per cent of all road users yet account for 14 per cent of deaths.
Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, head of Road Policing, said: “We all have a responsibility to keep Scotland’s roads safe and motorcyclists are one of the most vulnerable road users.
“We know that most collisions involving a motorcyclist happen between March and September. You are more likely to see a motorcyclist on the road during this time and my message is look out for them, particularly at junctions and in rural areas.
“Failing to look properly or losing control can happen in a split second. Take responsibility and take care of each other on the road.”
Engagement and enforcement activity will take place throughout the spring and summer months using both marked and unmarked police vehicles.
Police Scotland officers, including those from the national motorcycle unit, will be carrying out intelligence led patrols to engage with all drivers and riders.
THINK! Launches CLICK, the first new seat belt campaign for 13 years
aimed at young men, it will highlight how a simple click can save lives
partners include various county football associations, which will promote belting up on matchday
A new campaign to remind young men to CLICK their seat belt in a bid to shift attitudes and save lives on roads across England and Wales has launched.
Every week, 4 young people aged 17 to 29 are either killed or seriously injured on our roads when not wearing a seat belt, with young men more likely to not wear one, especially on short or well-known journeys. In 2022, 30% of fatalities among 17- to 29-year-olds were unbelted.
To help combat this, alongside targeted advertising on roadside posters, radio and social media, CLICK will collaborate with several partners, including various county football associations and local clubs to promote ‘belting up’ when travelling to matchdays to keep themselves and their teammates safe.
Taxi and private hire vehicle companies, including Uber, are also supporting the campaign and looking to introduce direct reminders to passengers to wear their seat belt when making journeys in cabs.
Roads Minister, Guy Opperman, said: “We know how important wearing a seat belt is, reducing the risk of death for drivers in a collision by 50%.
This campaign is part of the government’s plan to make our roads even safer and aims to make clicking in a seat belt second nature to young men, who currently run the highest risk of death or serious injury – reminding them that a simple CLICK can save lives.
Backed by £1.2 million of funding, this campaign – the first seat belt specific campaign since 2011 – pulls on relatable, personal moments between friends to drive home the consequences of not wearing a seat belt.
It acts as a reminder that something as simple as clicking your seat belt could save your life and that of your friends.
RAC road safety spokesman, Rod Dennis, said: “To most people, it’s second nature to wear a seat belt, but every time someone forgets to click theirs into place, they’re putting themselves and other passengers at risk.
“Young male drivers are much more likely to be seriously injured or killed than any other age group because they haven’t buckled up. For this reason, we’re in full support of THINK!’s ‘CLICK’ campaign urging all car occupants to wear their belts in transit, but especially young male audiences for whom this message could literally save lives.”
The campaign will also serve as a reminder of the importance of wearing a seat belt when travelling on a minibus, bus or coach, with drivers expected to clearly signpost rules and individual responsibilities when it comes to belting up, and with passengers over 14 expected to take responsibility for themselves and ensure they are buckled up.
Eight-in-10 drivers affected say problem is getting worse
A glaring problem: RAC calls for government action on headlight glare as eight-in-10 drivers affected say the problem is getting worse …
The RAC is calling on the Government to commission an independent study into the issue of headlight glare after new research found 85% of those affected believe the problem is getting worse.*
An RAC survey of 2,000 drivers found a huge nine-in-10 (89%) think at least some headlights on cars on the road today are too bright, of which three-in-10 (28%) – a higher proportion than ever – think most are. Of the all these drivers who complain about the brightness of car headlights, some 91% say they get dazzled when driving with three-quarters (74%) saying this happens regularly.
When it comes to the effects of glare on drivers, two-in-three (67%) who suffer say they have to slow down considerably until they can see clearly again, while a similar proportion (64%) believe some headlights are so bright they risk causing accidents. In fact, five per cent of these drivers state they have nearly been involved in a collision themselves.
Alarmingly, nearly one-in-10 (7%) say they find headlight glare so bad that they avoid driving at night altogether, a figure that rises to 14% for drivers aged 65 and over.
While the RAC has been surveying drivers on dazzling headlights since 2018, these new findings show more drivers than ever appear to be suffering from them, with 85% of those affected stating they believe the problem is getting worse.
As part of its study, the RAC asked drivers to estimate how long it takes them to see clearly again after getting dazzled by other drivers’ lights. While 68% say it takes between one and five seconds, one-in-10 (11%) say it takes six or more – which, staggeringly, is enough for a driver travelling at 60mph to cover 160 metres, the equivalent of 40 car lengths.
The reasons drivers perceive headlight glare to be such an issue are less clear, although an overwhelming 87% of dazzled drivers think it is mainly due to the fact some lights just appear much brighter.
This could be as a result of the increasing prevalence of cars fitted with LED headlights, leading to a much more intense and focused beam that the human eye reacts differently to, compared to a conventional ‘yellower’ halogen bulb. While LED headlights are great for improving a driver’s view of the road ahead, this can be to the detriment of other road users who encounter them.
However, more than four-in-10 (44%) think the dazzling is caused by badly aligned headlights. A Freedom of Information request submitted to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in November 2023 shows that since 2019, an average of 1.6m, or 5%, of Class 4 vehicles – which includes passenger cars – failed their MOTs as a result of poor headlight aim.**
What’s more, with the DVSA stating in 2016 that ‘headlamp aim consistently tops the MOT compliance survey as one of the most likely items to be assessed incorrectly by testers’, the actual figure could be much higher.***
The increasing popularity of cars that sit higher on the road, especially SUVs, may also be a factor with those in conventional cars such as hatchbacks, saloons or estates suffering the most. Six-in-10 drivers (62%) of conventional cars blame the dazzling on higher vehicles, whereas only 35% of those in higher vehicles point the finger similarly sized vehicles.
But whatever the cause or causes of headlight glare, it is clear how strongly drivers feel about the issue with 81% saying more should be done to tackle it – a figure that rises to 87% among drivers aged 45 to 54.
Government collision statistics shows that since 2013, there has been an average of 280 collisions a year where dazzling headlights were a contributory factor. Of these, six a year involved someone losing their life. The actual number may be higher if an investigation was unable to determine whether or not a collision was directly or indirectly caused by the glare from another vehicle’s headlights.
As a result of the sentiment among drivers, the RAC has raised the issue of headlight glare with the Department for Transport and has been working with a member of the House of Lords, Baroness Hayter, to make drivers’ concerns known among Government officials.
The RAC provided details of its research to go into a report published last week and will be meeting with the Government this month to discuss it.
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “Our figures suggest drivers are more concerned than ever about headlight glare, with a huge proportion wanting to see something done about it.
“We urgently need the Government to take a closer look at the issue, ideally by commissioning an independent study to understand what’s causing an increase in reports of dazzling and, most importantly, what can do be done to keep drivers safe.
“With spring still a long way off, there’s a good chance many people will do most of their driving in darkness over the next few months and, according to our research, that means an awful lot of drivers will experience the discomfort and even danger that comes from being dazzled by headlights.
“On the one hand, brighter headlights can be a good thing as they give drivers a clearer and safer view of the road view of the road, but that appears to come at a cost for those on the receiving end of excessively bright lights.
“The numbers of reported road casualties where headlight glare was listed as a contributing factor might be small when compared to something like speeding, but that only tells part of the story. Is it right we have such a high proportion of drivers who feel unsafe when they’re driving at night, with some having even given up night-time trips altogether?”
Mike Bowen, Director of Knowledge and Research at the College of Optometrists, said: “The results from this research by the RAC are helpful to inform our understanding of how changes in vehicle headlight technologies may be affecting both the functional vision of young and older drivers, and their visual comfort, when driving at night.
“Older drivers are likely to be disproportionately affected by headlight glare, so may be more likely to experience difficulties or to decide not to drive at night at all.
“We urge the Government to commission more technical and clinical research to have a better understanding of this issue and what should be done to ease the effects of dazzling headlights.”
Baroness Hayter said: “The RAC has demonstrated that some car headlights can dazzle, causing a danger for oncoming drivers. We know drivers in other countries share this concern.
“So, government should take action now to be on the side of road safety and ensure everyone keeps to the Highway Code, which states drivers ‘must not use any lights in a way which would dazzle other road users’.”
IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards Nicholas Lyes said: “Drivers are increasingly telling us they are concerned by modern headlights and some are now even limiting the amount of time they spend driving during darkness to avoid glare.
“Being dazzled by a headlight has a worrying impact on road safety and we need policymakers to take this matter seriously.”
Dealing with glare – what to do if you find you’re getting dazzled
Always use your rear-view mirror properly at night. Some newer cars have self-dimming rear-view mirrors that can reduce dazzle from vehicles behind – if you’re changing your car soon, look for one that has such a mirror fitted. But most drivers still need to manually adjust their mirrors in the dark to reduce glare. About half the drivers surveyed by the RAC who reported getting dazzled said they do so at night (54%).
Speak to your optometrist. Just 6% of drivers told the RAC they’d talked to their optician about glare. For those who wear glasses, a glare-minimising coating can help – something a quarter (25%) of affected drivers said they are benefitting from.
Bridgestone has come up with a timely New Year Resolution suggestion for Scottish motorists, after more than half failed to recognise an ‘extremely serious’ risk associated with illegal tyre usage.
The tyre manufacturer is urging drivers across the country to check their tyres regularly throughout 2024, after 58% of Scottish motorists didn’t regard driving on illegal tyres as being potentially life threatening, with only 12% describing them as the most important safety feature on their cars, according to latest research1.
A survey amongst 1,000 drivers across Scotland revealed that despite tyres being the only contact points between a vehicle and the road – and responsible for 159 deaths or serious injuries from defective tyres related accidents2 – 81% admitted to never checking their tyresfor signs of wear or damage.
The Bridgestone results tie in with a recording of 4,596 total casualties from tyre-related incidents on roads in the past years2 and there being in the region of 10 million illegal tyres on Britan’s roads each year2 With all this in mind, Bridgestone’s North Region Vice President Andrea Manenti has come up with a New Year Resolution suggestion.
He said: “Regular tyre checks, preferably once a fortnight, is a great resolution, as it can be the difference between life and death.
“Periodically check traction, or available grip, when driving in challenging conditions. Apply the brakes with moderate pressure to determine the available grip and modify your driving, if needed, to respond to ever-changing road conditions.
“The legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm. Insert a 20p coin in the tread; if you can see the border, it’s time to change the tyres. Thereafter, maximise available grip by separating driving manoeuvres when negotiating a curve.
“Brake to an appropriate speed while travelling in a straight line prior to a curve. This allows you to use all the available grip for negotiating the curve. Accelerate gradually when you are able to straighten the steering wheel at the exit of the turn.
Bridgestone’s New Year’s Resolution suggestion represents part of its mission to continue to provide social and customer value as a sustainable solutions company.
It also embodies Bridgestone’s E8 Commitment – a set of eight commitments (Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease, Empowerment) which provide a compass to guide their strategic priorities, decision making and actions throughout every area of the business and operations.
Bridgestone’s road safety tips provides Ease, by bringing comfort and peace of mind to mobility life and Extension, by committing to nonstop mobility and innovation that keeps people and the world moving ahead.
For more information and advice about tyre safety from Bridgestone, visit:
The World Health Organisation released its Global Status Report on Road Safety
Stats show the UK has made much less progress in the last decade when compared to the decade before
RoSPA: The Government must publish its long overdue Road Safety Strategic Framework as soon as possible and set casualty reduction targets in line with other G7 countries
The United Kingdom is lagging behind other European countries when it comes to road safety progress in reducing the number of people killed on its roads.
The latest Global Status Report on Road Safety should be a wakeup call to Government, leading accident prevention charity The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has said.
RoSPA is calling for the Government to publish its long overdue Road Safety Strategic Framework which has not been updated in England since 2019.
According to the latest figures from the report[1] and RoSPA’s analysis of recent road safety statistics[2], the UK road safety progress has come to a grinding halt since 2010, with fatalities and injuries plateauing.
This December marks a decade of stagnation, during which we have seen a five per cent reduction in deaths across Great Britain versus a 46 per cent reduction across UK in the decade to 2010.
While road safety in the UK has stalled, overall, the European region has seen a 36 per cent reduction in road deaths.
David Walker, Head of Road and Leisure Safety at RoSPA, said:“We are seeing around 81 people killed or seriously injured on our roads every day, which is unacceptable and evidently linked to the dramatic lack of UK road safety progress over the last decade.
“We cannot and must not wait to act and urge the Government to publish its long overdue Road Safety Strategic Framework for England, and to set out casualty reduction targets that are in line with other G7 nations. Only then can we begin to address our woeful position on the road safety leaderboard.”
Diageo, maker of Guinness, Johnnie Walker and Smirnoff, has partnered with THINK!, the Government’s official road safety campaign, and Greene King on a new initiative encouraging people to drink responsibly over the festive period.
The partnership will allow designated drivers to claim a free pint of Guinness 0.0 at participating Greene King pubs across the UK throughout December.
The latest data shows that 79% of drink-drive collisions involve male drivers or riders over the legal alcohol limit1, and younger male drivers are historically over-represented in drink drive related road casualties2. Therefore, the campaign aims to remind people looking to celebrate during the next month to not drink and drive.The initiative also marks the third consecutive year Diageo is partnering with THINK! this Christmas.
From 1st December 2023 – 1st January 2024, designated drivers wishing to take part will need to visit the Guinness website and use the pub finder search tool to locate one of the 472 Greene King pubs participating in the offer.
They will then be able to download a voucher code and present this, along with their car keys, at the bar to prove their designated driver status and claim their free Guinness 0.0.
Nuno Teles, Managing Director at Diageo GB said:“Drink driving is never acceptable. Which is why we’re building on our previous campaigns with THINK! to help encourage responsible drinking this Christmas.
“By giving designated drivers a free pint of alcohol-free Guinness 0.0, our partnership with THINK! and Greene King will allow designated drivers across the UK to still be part of the festive fun and drive everyone home safely.”
Guy Opperman, Roads Minister at Department for Transport said: “Our highly regarded THINK! campaign will be aiming to save more lives again this Christmas season and will help continue to raise awareness of the dangers of drink-driving.
“This is a great initiative which encourages people to act responsibly while still enjoying the festive season.”
Diageo has a long-standing commitment to promoting positive drinking through moderation and tackling the harmful use of alcohol.
This initiative is part of Diageo’s latest pledge to change the attitudes towards drink driving of five million drivers by 2030 as part of its ten-year sustainability action plan Society 2030: Spirit of Progress.
The partnership also builds on Diageo’s other existing initiatives such as its ‘Wrong Side of the Road’ virtual learning experience, a hard-hitting programme which allows individuals to have a conversation with a real drink driver to help understand the consequences of drink driving.
Sight Scotland, and Sight Scotland Veterans, have slammed a busy Edinburgh junction describing it as hazardous and inaccessible for blind and partially sighted people.
The junction between Telford Road, Hillhouse Road and Strachan Road is one of the busiest in the capital, but the pedestrian crossing facilities are not fit for purpose.
Representatives from both sight loss charities recently met with the city of Edinburgh Council to discuss this junction and were astonished to find out that it had been REMOVED (demoted) from the Council’s list of upgrades.
Caroline Hedley, a Rehabilitation and Mobility Worker with Sight Scotland, explains: “This junction poses a major risk to anybody with visual impairment, and we are extremely worried that it will take a serious accident before any action is taken.
“Due to the complicated layout of the crossings, the poor pedestrian crossing facilities and the heavy fast-moving traffic, it is dangerous and inaccessible to most blind and partially sighted people.
“The pedestrian crossings do not have audible signals or revolving cones, and some are in need of basic repair. Also, there are few protective barriers at this junction which makes me as a sighted person feel very vulnerable, so I can’t imagine how someone with vision impairment would feel. Strachan Road simply has no pedestrian crossing facility at all.
“As part of my job, I help blind and partially sighted people with their mobility, both indoor and out. We help them plan routes when going out, looking at hazards, and trying to ensure they know how to navigate the safest way to go if they have a medial appointment, for example, or just want to go to the shops.
“The biggest priority with a mobility assessment is safety. I have clients living close to this junction and I need to explain to them that the safest way to cross these roads is with sighted assistance, and this is absolutely essential for people who cannot see the red and green man.
“What makes matters worse is that Blackhall Medical Centre is located on the Hillhouse Road side of the junction.”
Craig Spalding, Chief Executive of Sight Scotland, and Sight Scotland Veterans, adds: “We are calling on the city of Edinburgh Council to upgrade this junction now before a serious accident occurs.
“How this junction has been taken off the upgrades list is beyond me; it is highly dangerous if not impossible for blind and partially sighted people to cross these roads independently.
“Poor crossing facilities like these could mean a person is more likely to stay at home, reducing their opportunity to move around in their home area. When a person’s mobility is impacted in this way, there is a knock-on effect both physically and mentally.”
Local Inverleith Councillor Hal Osler comments: “When designing public spaces we need to think about the safety and accessibility for those most at risk; if we do this, it benefits us all.
“Unfortunately in Edinburgh we have too many junctions and crossings where the safety and accessibility of pedestrians was not considered as a design priority. It’s utterly shameful that this junction was removed from the list of upgrades and as a councillor I am appalled at the lack of thought for our most vulnerable pedestrians.
“If we truly believe in the importance of safe active travel, and that pedestrians are top of the transport hierarchy, this needs to change.”
Sight Scotland, and Sight Scotland Veterans, are asking people to join their campaign to get the city of Edinburgh Council to upgrade the crossing at Strachan Road, Hillhouse Road and Telford Road in Edinburgh.
Reduce your speed to save lives, that’s the message from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) as we head into some of the darkest months of the year.
The most recent Department for Transport (DfT) data revealed that in 2022, there were around 40,000 people injured on our roads during hours of darkness. This included 8,780 people who were seriously injured, and 737 who sadly died.
Rebecca Guy, Road Safety Manager, said:“This time of year sees a worrying combination of darker skies and poor weather conditions, which can pose unique risks to motorists and pedestrians and cyclists – these risks are amplified if someone is speeding.
“Higher speeds mean that drivers have less time to identify and react to what is happening around them, and it takes longer for the vehicle to stop, removes the driver’s safety margin and turns near misses into collisions.
“Driving at 30mph, vehicles are travelling at around three car lengths a second – one blink and the driver may fail to see the early warning brake lights; a short glance away and the movement of a child behind a parked car could be missed[i].
“With that in mind, and the poor visibility this season poses, it’s clear to see the tragic consequences speeding could have.”
RoSPA advises the following when driving in darker periods of the day:
Be prepared: As the UK experiences shorter days and longer nights, it is crucial for motorists to adjust their driving habits. The decreased visibility during early mornings and evenings demands heightened caution. RoSPA urges drivers to use dipped headlights, ensure clean windshields, and to be extra cautious when navigating poorly lit roads.
Control your speed: Darkness amplifies the risks associated with speeding. The lack of visibility, compounded by higher speeds, can lead to devastating collisions. The DfT reports that in 2022, exceeding the speed limit was deemed a contributory factor for 19% of all fatal collisions. In 9 per cent of fatal collisions, driving too fast for the conditions was deemed a contributory factor[ii]. RoSPA emphasises that adhering to speed limits and driving to the conditions is paramount, especially when daylight hours are limited.
Rebecca Guy continues:“If you must travel in the dark, I suggest leaving ample time for the journey, ensuring you can travel within the speed limit, and maintain a safe distance behind other road users.
“As we age, our ability to adapt to changing light reduces, which impacts how we see colours and contrasts in low-light conditions. It also takes longer for the eyes to recover from glare – from one second at age 15, to nine seconds at 65.”
Motorists have been warned about a potentially dangerous eye condition that distorts vision and adversely affects night-time driving.
Motoring experts at LeaseCar say thousands of Brits could unknowingly have an eye condition which causes difficulties with vision at night posing a safety risk on the roads.
t is thought that as much as 40% of the adult population could be affected by Astigmatism, which occurs when either the eye’s cornea or the lens behind the cornea isn’t as round as it should be.
Astigmatism is an eye disorder which causes blurry or distorted vision, both close up and at a distance.
Research suggests the condition could be on the rise as overuse of electronic devices can both bring it on and make it worse.
Those who suffer from the condition commonly have a harder time seeing clearly at night because it increases sensitivity to glare and halos around lights, such as headlights or streetlights.
This can affect motorist’s ability to perceive road signs, other vehicles, and potential hazards as well as making it harder for them to detect subtle changes in the road.
The experts are calling on anyone who experiences difficulties with night vision and thinks they could have the condition to head to the opticians.
Not only does failing to address the condition increase the chance of causing an accident on the roads, but it could also lead to hefty fines and penalties for motorists.
If it is determined bad vision is a factor in a driving accident, motorists will be fined £1,000 and have three points on their licence if they had not notified the DVLA of their condition prior to the accident.
In more serious cases, failure to notify about vision loss or sight issues could even result in a driving ban.
Those with the condition may require glasses or contact lenses to correct it, but in more extreme cases doctors could need to use surgery to treat astigmatis.
The DVLA says motorists must wear glasses or contact lenses every time they drive if they need them to meet the ‘standards of vision for driving’.
Tim Alcock from LeaseCar.uk said: “It is extremely important that any motorists who think that they could have an eye condition get to the opticians and seek treatment.
“Common symptoms of Astigmatism include trouble seeing at night, blurry, hazy and double vision, as well as needing to squint to see clearly.
“With an estimated 40% of the adult population suffering from the condition, anyone with the symptoms should avoid driving until they have been checked out.
“It is very dangerous to drive with any condition which impairs vision as it puts the motorist and other road users at risk.
“The condition is particularly dangerous for drivers as the days get darker because it increases sensitivity to glare and halos around lights which affects being able to see the roads and potential obstacles.
“It is also important that the DVLA is made aware of any condition that affects the ability to drive safely because if a motorist is involved in an accident and it is found that the condition was a contributing factor, they could be prosecuted and their insurance invalidated.”
