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A step-by-step guide to help local councillors in Scotland prevent road tragedies has been published by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).  

The charity has joined forces with Transport Scotland to publish Road safety: A Guide for Local Councillors in Scotland, which includes all the information an elected member will need to develop road safety within their ward.  

The guide demonstrates how local authorities can continue to deliver effective road safety services by: using evidence; co-ordinating with other public services; designing and delivering projects in partnership; and evaluating the effectiveness of their work.

It is divided into several sections including: “Road Casualties”, which looks at high-risk groups and the main causes of accidents, and “Getting the Most Out of Limited Road Safety Resources”, with details on evidence and evaluation.  

Road casualty figures for Scotland show that 6,619 people were killed and a total of 390,331 people were injured in accidents on Scotland’s roads from 1992-2012 inclusive.

Sandy Allan, RoSPA’s road safety manager in Scotland, said: “The document will prove essential to both new and serving councillors who are looking for more information on how to save lives and reduce injuries on the roads in their wards.  It gives a step-by-step guide to road safety policy and services in Scotland.  

“It is particularly important in the current climate of change and budget restraints for those allocating resources or making policies on behalf of our communities to have a full understanding of what’s available. This document will provide the necessary information to enable informed decisions.” 

Although aimed at local councillors in Scotland, the guide will also be useful to anyone committed to reducing casualties.  

For a free PDF copy of the guide visit www.rospa.com/roadsafety/info/road-safety-guide-for-councillors-scotland.pdf