Road safety campaigners have turned to the internet to try to reduce the number of deaths on north and north-east country roads.
A new £17,000 interactive website allows users to enter their postcode or council area to access figures that show how many fatal and serious-injury accidents have occurred in that area between 2004 and 2008.
They can find out the proportion of accidents that involved men and women, the age range of casualties, the type of vehicles involved and the day and time of the crash.
Road Safety Scotland, the Institute of Advanced Motoring, the Scottish Government and Labour and Liberal Democrat MSPs hope the Country Roads – Don’t Risk It website, which features safe driving tips and a interactive test to help people identify potential hazards such as tractors, will help change driver attitudes.
It shows that 978 fatalities and serious accidents occurred on roads in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire between 2004 and 2008.
Some 46% of those seriously injured were aged between 16 and 34, with male drivers more at risk.
In the Highland Council area 868 fatal and serious accidents occurred during the period in question.
There were 203 in Moray, 392 in Angus, 22 in Dun- dee, 629 in Perth and Kin- ross, 39 in Orkney, 50 in Shetland and 80 in the Western Isles.
Michael McDonnell, director of Road Safety Scotland, which established the website with government funding, said: “Too many drivers are putting their lives at risk by driving at a speed that’s wrong for the conditions.
“On country roads speed kills because it determines how long you have – or don’t have – to respond to a situation.
“This campaign urges drivers of all ages to slow down, be aware of the unpredictability of country roads and adjust their speed to the conditions.”
Grampian Police road safety manager Leslie Harrold said: “We are very supportive of any initiative which aims to improve safety on our roads.”
Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020 states that one in five drivers had a near-miss on a country road in the last year.
Some 55% of those killed or seriously injured in country road accidents were travelling at an inappropriate speed for the conditions.
North-east Labour MSP Richard Baker said: “This website could be a extremely useful tool in highlighting road safety problems in Grampian.
“I hope that it is properly promoted in schools and colleges to try and change driver attitudes.”
Liberal Democrat transport spokeswoman Alison McInnes said: “I hope this latest initiative will help cut the death toll and make people realise that they must take more care when they’re driving on country roads.”
Log on to www.dontriskit.info for more details.