The number of road casualties in the Highlands and islands has increased in the last three years, according to new figures.
Official statistics published yesterday showed 593 people were hurt in the former Northern Constabulary area last year in comparison to 574 in 2010.
Last year there were 19 fatalities, 97 serious injury casualties and 477 people sustained minor injuries.
By contrast, there were 24 deaths on north roads in 2010, 92 serious accident casualties and 458 people were left with minor injuries.
The figures showed the number of fatalities on roads in the former Grampian Police area fell from 33 in 2010 to 23 last year.
But the number of serious injury casualties rose from 267 in 2010 to 271 in 2011 to 298 last year.
There were 713 slight injury incidents in 2012 compared to 727 in 2011 and 790 in 2010.
The statistics for the last three years are at odds with Scotland-wide figures which show road casualties have dropped to their lowest recorded level.
Roads agency Transport Scotland, which released the figures, said casualty rates overall had dropped 1% and deaths fell 6% in the last year.
But the figures showed the number of casualties among cyclists rose 9% to 901, serious injuries were up 7% to 167 and the number of deaths increased by two to nine.
Transport Minister Keith Brown pledged to improve cycling infrastructure, training and road safety to tackle the problem. He said the Scottish Government had invested more than £58million in cycling infrastructure, cycle training and road safety messages.
The figures showed that overall casualty numbers in Scotland dropped by 101 to 12,676, a 34% reduction from 2002 and the lowest figure since records began.
The number of deaths fell by 11 to 174 between 2011 and 2012, the number of serious injuries increased by 97 to 1,974, slight injuries were down by 187 to 10,528 and child casualties were down by 152 to 1,164, including two deaths.
The number of people killed in drink-drive accidents also fell.
Police described the figures as “heartening”.