Recommendations – Safe vehicles

Education and Awareness

General

Vehicle Road Worthiness – Autumn/Winter

Recommendation 24

• Police Scotland could consider a ‘get ready for winter season’ campaign, encouraging all drivers/riders to ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy and prepared for the season ahead.

Action

General

Tyre Safety

Recommendation 25

• Increased roadside stops by Police Scotland Roads Policing officers to check tyre conditions of vehicles to ensure safety and provide guidance where required.

Vehicles

Buses, Coaches and Heavy Goods Vehicles

Recommendation 26

• Liaise with bus, coach and heavy goods vehicle companies – request consideration to be given to reviewing their fleet of vehicles with a focus on ‘blind spots’ and identifying any improvements which can be made to the fleet.

Legislation

General

Older Vehicles

Recommendation 27

• The Scottish Government should consider the development of a pilot scheme with a road safety focus on removing older and potentially less-safe vehicles from the roads.

Learner Riders and Drivers

Recommendation 28

• Inclusion of tyre and vehicle maintenance training as mandatory for learner drivers should be considered. An understanding of the importance of ensuring a vehicle is roadworthy alongside practical training on practices such as checking and altering tyre pressure may have a positive impact. This could also form part of a theoretical and practical driving test.

Vehicle

Vehicle Technology

Recommendation 29

• The UK Government should consider the vehicle safety provisions within the EU’s Vehicle General Safety Regulation (which includes advanced emergency braking system, intelligent speed assistance and distraction monitoring and alert systems) and adopt if deemed appropriate. This will ensure all new vehicles manufactured in the UK meet maximum safety standards and ultimately assist in preventing a potentially large number of road deaths.