Scotland’s roads are becoming deadlier amid rising fatalities and surging traffic offences, latest figures reveal.
Police Scotland say 92 people were killed in car, motorcycle and cycling collisions between April and September 2025 – nine more than the same period last year, an increase of almost 11%.
They included one child and six cyclists. Motorcyclist deaths rose to the highest level for five years with 27 during the period.
The news comes as reckless drivers are increasingly flouting the law, with significant rises in drink and drug driving, speeding, dangerous driving and unsafe vehicle offences.
Critics claim the rising death toll shows the SNP’s Road Safety Framework (RSF2030) – including its flagship pledge to halve fatalities by 2030 – is stalling.
It sets out a vision for Scotland to have the “best road safety performance in the world by 2030”.
Vision Zero goes even further, having set a long-term goal of zero fatalities and serious injuries on Scotland’s roads by 2050.
According to Police Scotland, achieving RSF2030 targets to reduce road deaths is “not on track” and say nearly all road traffic offences increased compared to last year.
Scottish Conservative shadow transport secretary, Sue Webber MSP, said: “The tragic and rising death toll on Scotland’s roads come against a backdrop of the SNP’s failure to upgrade key roads and repair potholes.
“Cuts to road traffic policing have also made it more difficult for officers to crackdown on dangerous driving.”
Ms Webber added: “If SNP ministers are serious about meeting their target of halving the number of people killed on our roads by 2030, they should show some common sense and fund more road traffic officers and finally upgrade Scotland’s most dangerous roads like the A9 and A96.”
The First Minister is travelling north to see the work on the A9 for himself on Monday. Read more here.
Data shows that motorists clocked up 65,878 road traffic offences during the period – 19.1% higher than the previous year, and drivers committed 123,295 offences over the year – an increase of 12.3%.
Scotland’s drug driving epidemic continued to spiral with 1,894 positive drug wipes in the six month period, up by almost 400 or 26.6%.
The 12-month figures show there were 715 more positive drug wipes than the year before at 3727, up almost 24%.
Motorists notched up 1981 more speeding offences – an increase of almost 31% – as vehicle defect offences rose by over 52%, up 1978 incidents. Careless and dangerous driving offences also increased by 1,322, a rise of more than 20%.
Police Scotland say tougher policing and longer safety campaigns are partly behind rising traffic violations.
Chief Constable, Jo Farrell, recently warned drug driving offences had risen by 60% in the past three years and were “now almost higher than drink driving”.
The SNP have faced criticism over the failure to upgrade some of the most dangerous roads across the country, including the A9, A96, A82, A75 and A77.
More than 300 crashes in four years have earned the A9 the title of Scotland’s most dangerous road. Figures show 170 fatalities and injuries on the trunk road from 2021 to November, with 23 deaths on the A9 in the Highland Council region since 2021.
Frequent changes between dual and single lanes on the Perth–Inverness stretch of A9, combined with the lack of a central barrier, are believed to increase the risk of accidents.
The 88-mile road was supposed to have been dualled by last year, following a pledge by the SNP in 2011. In 2023, the completion date was pushed back to 2035 after ministers admitted the target was unachievable, but work has now begun.
Promises to upgrade the A96 between Aberdeen and Inverness by the end of the decade were also abandoned in 2024.
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is committed to improving road transport infrastructure throughout Scotland to improve road safety and bring economic benefits to users and local communities alike.
“Despite facing significant pressures on our capital budget, we continue to progress work on infrastructure projects across the country, including the A9 Dualling Perth to Inverness; A83 Rest and Be Thankful; A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn, including Nairn Bypass; and A75 Springholm and Crocketford Improvement.”
Police Scotland say they deliver specific campaigns and initiatives targeting the safety of all vulnerable road users, including pedal cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians.
Chief Superintendent Scott McCarren, head of road policing, said: “We continue to work very closely with a range of partners to improve road safety for all users and are committed to supporting the Scottish Government’s Road Safety Framework to reduce road deaths and injuries.
“We have dedicated intelligence-led patrols on targeted routes to take action against dangerous drivers and respond to community concerns.”
