Quiet country roads are Britain’s biggest killers, accounting for two-thirds of deaths in England and three-quarters of all road deaths in Scotland and Wales, according to research by the IAM Motoring Trust.
Men and young drivers are most at risk, and the most deadly roads are single carriageways, according the IAM Trust’s report: Rural Roads – the biggest killer.
The report’s findings are due to presented to Ministers and road safety bodies at the House of Commons tomorrow.
Perhaps unsurprisingly young drivers, aged between 17 and 25 years old, are one of the main reasons rural roads are more dangerous.
Young drivers are said to be twice as likely as the average motorist to be involved in crashes in which three or more passengers are killed or injured.
Middle-aged drivers are more likely to be involved in head-on collisions and older drivers are more frequently involved in accident at junctions.
IAM Trust director, Neil Greig said: ‘The government’s second road casualty reduction target looks set to be reached by 2010.
‘A further significant reduction in traffic casualties will be achieved only if policies, actions and investment are focused on Britain’s killer rural roads.
‘As overall deaths on our roads continue to fall the large numbers of the worst accidents on rural roads is brought more into focus.’