Scotland's 20 most dangerous roads

Our probe has revealed the 20 most dangerous roads (Alamy)

A wide ranging probe can today lay bare the UK’s 20 most dangerous roads – a mix of motorways, A and B roads, but all with high death rates when compared to their length.

Key among them is the worst road in Scotland for fatalities, the A956 trunk road in Aberdeen, which includes the Charleston Flyover.

Last year the road was the scene of two fatal crashes despite the fact it is less than eight miles long.

In one incident, in August 2014, a 26-year-old man died on the road near where it connects to the A90 Aberdeen to Dundee road.

Local councillor, Neil Cooney, has called for action to prevent further “carnage” and for improvements to be made to its junction with the A90.

He said the road urgently “needs to be upgraded”.

Our worst 20 roads – compiled from statistics provided by Transport Scotland and the Department of Transport – are those that had the highest rate of deaths last year.

Campaigners claim that, while bad road design, sharp bends and blind summits all contribute to accidents, there is one factor common to many accidents on Britain’s roads: speed.

Gary Rae, campaigns director for road safety charity Brake, said: “Speed is one of the biggest killers on roads.

“Most country roads in the UK have a 60mph limit.

“However, due to the design and condition of these roads, and their use by people on foot, bicycle or horseback, 60mph, or anywhere near it, is rarely a safe speed to travel.

“At higher speeds, drivers are less able to react and brake in an emergency, and injuries are much more serious or even fatal.”

Overall, the M26 in Kent, England, has emerged as the most dangerous for fatalities.

Last year, four people died in crashes on the motorway despite the fact it is just 10 miles long.

The A1104, Alford, in Lincolnshire was the second worst while the A5103 Princess Parkway in Manchester came third.

The A956 trunk road in Aberdeen came fourth in Britain and is the most dangerous in Scotland.

Other roads with high death rates in Scotland included the M73 motorway in Glasgow, the A952 in Aberdeenshire and the A725 in Glasgow.

In Scotland, the greatest number of deaths from road accidents last year occurred on the A82 and the A90.

Some 18 people in total lost their lives on them – nine on each road.

The A9 had the third highest number of deaths last year, claiming eight lives.

However, the long length of these roads means the rate of deaths was lower than those on our list.

Fiona Hutton, 42, knows the grief families go through following a fatal road crash.

Her parents James, 73, and Anne, 66 died following a head-on collision on the A9 in 2010.

Fiona, 42, said the loss of a loved one in a road crash is a “sudden and traumatic” experience and believes there should be more driver education.

She said: “If people fully understood the devastation of someone dying in a car crash they might think twice about how they drive.”

The M26 provides a short link between the M25 at Sevenoaks and the M20 near West Malling.

In April 2014 three people were killed and three others seriously injured in a five-car pile-up on it.

Lorry driver Juraj Orsula, 45, from Slovakia, was later jailed for six-and-a-half years after he was found guilty of dangerous driving in the moments leading up to the incident.

Like the M26, the A1104 in Alford, Lincolnshire, was also the scene of four deaths last year.

However, because it is one mile longer than the M26, the rate of deaths on it was slightly lower, bringing it in second on our list.

The A5103 Princess Parkway in Manchester, which came third in our list, was the scene of two deaths last year.

The A630 in Sheffield emerged as the fifth most dangerous.

Last year it was the scene of six deaths along its 22-mile stretch.

This included a horrific incident in November of that year when five teenagers were killed on a country road referred to as “The Drag”.

Those killed were all aged between 16 and 18.

A 21-year-old man in another vehicle was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

The M73 motorway in Glasgow came sixth in Britain and second in Scotland.

Two people died in crashes on the eight-mile-long motorway last year, although one of these incidents involved the death of a pedestrian.

Independent crash investigator James Brown said most accidents come down to the abilities of drivers, although he said speed often plays a part.

He also said the vast majority of cases he investigates involve younger drivers.

He said: “Most accidents are driver error. Speed is often a factor. The driver is often driving out-with their ability. Often they can be young drivers.

“A road death is a violent death. The injuries are terrible. It’s a horrendous thing for a family to be involved in.”

SCOTLAND’S 10 MOST DANGEROUS ROADS

The 20 worst roads in Scotland: