Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - 
Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson today expressed disappointment at road accident statistics for Scotland which show a ten per cent rise in fatalities.Figures published today show that 314 people died on Scotland's roads in 2006, a 10 per cent rise from 2005, including 14 more child fatalities.
In response, the Minister announced:
- He will be bringing together an expert panel from across Scotland and beyond to advise on additional road safety measures
- That this will form part of a new 10-year strategy to improve road safety in Scotland
"For each affected family, this will have been traumatic. For Scotland, each fatality is one too many. So today's statistics are more than a mere disappointment.
"I hope today's statistics will be a wake up call to drivers who take unnecessary risks and to those who put lives in danger. But we can all do more to make our roads safer.
"That is why I will be bringing together experts from across Scotland to form part of a new ten year strategy to improve road safety across the country.
"We must ingrain a deeper understanding of road safety and develop a more responsible attitude among young people. We have the chance to shape their behaviour before they even step into a vehicle.
A primary school educational resource for younger children is also being rolled out.
Mr Stevenson added:
"A road safety resource "Streetsense 2" will be provided to every primary school in Scotland as part of the effort to educate people of all ages on road safety.
"Streetsense will help give younger primary school children vital understanding of the dangers of the road - the importance of which has been brought home to all of us with today's worrying child fatality stats."
The provisional total number of people killed in road accidents in Scotland in 2006 was 314: 28 (10 per cent) more than in 2005. This figure is the fifth lowest since current records began more than fifty years ago and although there have been rises in some years, the general trend in road accidents fatalities has been downward. The previous year's statistics showed the lowest fatality rate for more than 50 years.
Today's statistics also show falls in the number of people who were seriously injured and in the number slightly injured.
However, the figures show that there were 25 child fatalities in 2006, 14 more than in 2005.
The Minister will bring together experts from across Scotland and beyond - the police, advanced driving experts, road safety organisations, the Children's Commissioner, youth groups and others - to advise on what more could be done and identify options to provide greater protection for drivers.
This will help to inform a new 10 year strategy for road safety in Scotland.
Streetsense is an educational resource for teachers to allow them to teach road safety to young children. It was developed by Road Safety Scotland and includes: Separate booklets which progress through different levels, suggested lesson plans, pupil worksheets, suggested answer sheets, parent/guardian information and task sheets, written assessments with answers, activity record sheets, glossary, word flashcards, curricular links, summary of activities, teachers' notes, Gym Cards, Audio CD's, photographs, posters, and leaflets. Copies will now be made available to every primary school in Scotland. It will help teach children from an early age about keeping safe when using the roads.
The Scottish Executive is funding a six month pilot scheme in the Grampian Police area, aimed at increasing take up of the Pass Plus post test driver training scheme. Pass Plus provides training on elements of driving not covered in the driving test, including driving in town, on rural roads, at night, in all weathers, an dual carriageways and on motorways. The Executive is paying £75 towards the cost of the training in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray Council areas, in addition to grants offered by the Councils themselves.
Road Safety Scotland is implementing a strategy for road safety education which aims to ensure that children receive a minimum amount of road safety education covering all stages of their formal education, from pre-school to upper secondary school. Road Safety Scotland oversees the Children's Traffic Club in Scotland, which offers road safety training to all 3 year old children in Scotland. Membership of the Club is free with Executive funding.
Crash Magnets, a resource for upper secondary pupils, developed by Road Safety Scotland, is aimed at encouraging responsible attitudes to driving and being a passenger in cars before young people get behind the wheel. It covers issues such as speeding, drink and drug driving, mobile phone use and seat belt usage.
