Three quarters of drivers killed or seriously injured on country roads last year were men.
Over half of fatal car accidents in Scotland happen outwith towns and cities. The Scottish Government is launching a safety campaign on the potential dangers of driving in the countryside, particularly targetting male drivers aged 22 to 40, who are statistically most at risk.
Loss of control is the biggest cause of deaths on country roads, frequently associated with driving too fast for the conditions and leaving too little time to react to unpredictable road conditions and hazards.
Superintendent Fraser Candlish of Police Scotland said: "We are urging drivers to take extra care on country roads, as you never know what hazards are waiting round the corner or when something unexpected might happen.
"It’s important to drive according to the road conditions as driving even slightly too fast can turn avoidable incidents into serious and ultimately fatal crashes. We hope this new campaign will contribute to a reduction of deaths on Scotland’s roads."
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