Transport Scotland statistics show that 168 people died in road accidents in Scotland in 2019, while 2,001 were seriously injured and over 5,425 suffered minor injuries.
As dreadful as these accident figures are, they are much better than they used to be. In 1980, for example, 29,286 people were killed or injured on Scotland’s roads.
So what has made the difference? Since 1980 there have been a growing number of road safety campaigns, advances in car safety technology, improved road design and a general increase in road safety awareness among the general population. These have all contributed to the fall in the number of casualties.
But these changes and campaigns have been implemented in different ways and times across the country, and this means that the number and type of car accidents in Scotland varies as you move from one region to another.
Where does Thompsons provide car accident legal support across Scotland?
What are the statistics for car accidents in Edinburgh?
It is no surprise that the majority of all traffic accidents take place in city centres. This is because there are simply more people in cities – those who live there and those who commute in – and they all have to get from place to place.
Edinburgh is no different. In fact, 35% of all the employees in Scotland’s capital commute into the city every day, adding to the chaos and increasing the risk of having a car crash.
Last year, for example, 1,159 people suffered a slight injury in car accidents in Edinburgh, according to provisional figures from Transport Scotland. Nearly 130 people were seriously injured and eight people were killed.
The figures confirm that the injuries that result from city-based car accidents tend to be minor, because the cars involved are subject to a low speed limit. These injuries tend to include:
You will find other examples of common road accident injuries here.
Regardless of the type, if you have suffered an injury in a road accident that was caused, at least partly, by someone else, you could be entitled to compensation.
What are the statistics for car accidents in Glasgow?
Six people died in road accidents in the Greater Glasgow area in 2013, according to the latest provisional figures from Transport Scotland. Four of these deaths took place in the city itself, while two occurred in East Renfrewshire. Compare this to the figures for Ayrshire. Over the same period, twelve people died in accidents in Ayrshire – a region with a much smaller population density than Greater Glasgow.
But why the difference? Are Ayrshire’s roads that much more dangerous?
In short, the answer is yes. Many of the roads in Ayrshire are country roads and it is well known that fatal road accidents are much more likely to occur on rural roads than on roads in towns and cities. It is one of the recognised common factors in road accidents.
This is partly because of the speed limits involved - fatal accidents are much more likely at 60 mph than at 30 mph – but it is also because rural roads have more hazards. Examples include:
- Dips and bends
- They can be very narrow
- Mud
- No street lighting
- Unexpectedly slow traffic
But this does not mean that urban roads are safe. Most accidents actually occur on urban roads, although they take place at lower speeds and so those involved tend to suffer less serious injuries. So, for example, Transport Scotland’s figures also show that in 2013 143 people were seriously injured in car accidents in Glasgow city. A further 1,081 suffered minor injuries.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident, even if you were partially at fault, you may be able to claim compensation for:
- Your pain and suffering
- Loss of wages
- Any help provided to you by your family because of your injuries and
- Other financial losses, such as having to buy a wheelchair or installing a stair lift
What are the statistics for car accidents in Aberdeen?
The roads around Aberdeen and throughout the north-east of Scotland are notorious. Barely a day goes by without news coverage of a road accident somewhere in the region.
This is because much of the region is rural countryside and, sadly, car accidents are most dangerous on country roads where the speed limit is higher but the roads are narrower, steeper and winding. Adverse weather conditions, farm traffic, mud on the road and a lack of street lamps all add to the problem.
This helps to explain why 25 people died while on the roads in Aberdeenshire and Moray in 2013. According to the figures from Transport Scotland (which are provisional at the time of writing) a further four people were killed in Aberdeen itself.
In comparison, in the more urbanised region of Greater Glasgow, there were six fatalities over the same period.
If you have been injured in a road accident that was not your fault, then you may be entitled to claim compensation, not only for the injury done to you but also for any financial losses you have suffered as a result.
You may also help to ensure that lessons are learned and justice served on the person or persons responsible.
What are the statistics for car accidents in the Scottish Borders?
Every day people in the Borders make decisions that have an impact on both their road safety and those of the people around them. Whether it is a question of speed, route, clothing and whether we are drivers, pedestrians, passengers or cyclists, the choices we make have the potential to influence matters of life and death.
Tragically, there is a great deal of work to be done when it comes to reducing the rate of car accident personal injuries in the Borders. For example, in 2012/13, there were 263 cases of serious personal injury caused by road accidents in the area, with nine of these incidents involving cases of fatal personal injury.
It is thought that the rural and undulant nature of the roads around Scottish Borders presents particular challenges, all of which make road safety in the area a priority.
This duty to prevent road accidents is very much enshrined in law in the form of the Road Traffic Act 1988, a piece of legislation which obliges local authorities to take appropriate and adequate measures to reduce the risk and occurrence of road traffic accidents.
Furthermore, The Scottish Borders Road Safety Working Group unites the interests and expertise of groups including fire, police, council, camera partnership, and other groups and services to identify and address the most pressing and pertinent issues.
Scotland already leads the way in terms of drink-driving legislation and other road safety measures, and its guidance concerning the introduction of 20mph speed limits; however, one thing the statistics for car crash personal injuries in the Borders makes clear is the need for prolonged and meaningful action.
Making a claim for compensation can be a daunting prospect, but the experienced personal injury lawyers at Thompsons can help you negotiate the process as confidently as possible.
What are the statistics for car accidents in Dundee?
If you or someone close to you has sustained an injury in a car accident that has occurred on the roads of Dundee or in the surrounding areas, the car accident claims team in Thompsons' Dundee office can help you secure compensation for the following:
- Pain and injury
- Lost earnings
- Loss of future earnings
- Medical expenses
- The cost of specialist equipment
- The help provided to you by your family
There are a number of common factors involved in road accidents in Scotland, but each claim for compensation is unique and we always listen carefully to the circumstances of your case and how the injuries have affected you.
Our funding model ensures that you have access to justice on a No Win, No Fee basis. This means that unless you win your case, you pay nothing at all and therefore incur no financial risk.
What are the statistics for car accidents in Dumfries?
In 2021, according to Crashmap.co.uk, there were seven serious car accidents and three fatal accidents in and around Dumfries. Of these ten accidents, six occurred in the urban areas of Dumfries, while four, including one fatal accident, happened on rural roads in the surrounding area.
In recent years, road accident statistics have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and various lockdown measures that were implemented to restrict movement and halt the spread of the virus. Even so, we believe that one car accident is too many, especially when innocent individuals have suffered serious and fatal injuries due to the negligence of another party.
We are committed to helping those injured in car accidents to seek justice. The Thompsons team can assist you whether you were involved in a car accident as a driver, passenger, or pedestrian. We also represent cyclists and passengers on public transport.
We can help you pursue a personal injury compensation claim even if you were partly at fault for your injuries. For example, if you were a passenger injured in a car accident but were not wearing a seatbelt, a court might determine that your injuries would have been less severe had you been wearing a seatbelt. Consequently, they may reduce the amount of compensation awarded due to your own liability for your injuries.
We encourage you to speak with our car accident claim team to discuss the circumstances of your case.
Can I claim compensation for a car accident in Scotland?
It is widely known that most car accidents take place at low speeds, leading to minor injuries such as whiplash. More serious or fatal injuries are most likely to occur when the car is travelling at higher speeds, though thankfully these incidents are much less common.
In either scenario, if you have been injured in a car accident through no fault of your own, you may be entitled to claim compensation for your pain, suffering, and other financial losses.
Why choose Thompsons as my Scottish car accident lawyers?
If you are thinking about making a car accident claim it will help to have expert advice from a lawyer who understands the issues involved. Thompsons' compensation solicitors are very experienced in investigating and advising on road accident claims.
We have an excellent success rate - we win over 90% of our personal injury cases and recover over £1 million every week for our clients. How much could you claim? Call 0800 0891 331 for free legal advice.
David Adams
David Adams
"You only get one opportunity to pursue a claim for compensation arising from an accident, and you have to make sure that when you do that, you get the best possible agents."
