Police Watchdog Expresses Concern Over Rising Road Casualties Amidst Decline in Enforcement

A new report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) indicates that Police Scotland is recording considerably fewer road crimes, even as the number of deaths and injuries on the nation’s roads rises. The report highlights a 63% decrease in recorded offences since 2013. Conversely, the count of individuals killed or injured has grown annually since 2020, with fatalities currently 26% above last year’s figures. Police Scotland stated that it is already in the process of addressing some of the recommendations made by the watchdog. In the previous year, Scotland’s roads saw 155 fatalities, 1,930 serious injuries, and 3,703 minor injuries. Craig Naylor of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland commented: “The recent increases in road casualties are complex, and there is no single factor that has caused this trend.” He added, “However, we are concerned that at a time when casualties are increasing, Police Scotland has decreased rather than increased its enforcement activity in this high-priority area.” The report noted that police efforts to address speeding, drink-driving, and drug-driving could contribute to fewer tragedies. It also emphasized the crucial function officers perform in tackling organized crime, including the interception of cross-border drug shipments. Mr. Naylor called upon Police Scotland, which took over from the previous eight-force system in 2013, to re-evaluate its dedication to road policing. His report commended the professionalism of Scotland’s road policing officers, the force’s leadership framework, and its utilization of social media to disseminate important road safety information. However, HMICS inspectors pinpointed the reduction in overall officer personnel as a contributing factor hindering the force’s capacity to meet its road safety objectives. Recent data indicates that officer numbers decreased from 17,431 in March 2020 to 16,425 by October of this year. Of this total, 3.5% are assigned to road policing. Brian Jones, vice-chair of the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), conveyed his apprehensions to HMICS during the review process. He informed BBC Scotland News that the Scottish Borders previously maintained a specialized team of road traffic officers, consisting of an inspector, three sergeants, and 20 constables. Mr. Jones, however, stated that the identical area is now staffed by six constables, with remote supervision from a sergeant. He also noted that the total number of officers assigned to the country’s roads has fallen from 700 in 2013 to 500. The former road policing sergeant further mentioned a “significant migration” of resources, shifting from the southern to the northern regions of the country. Mr. Jones remarked: “If you see a reduction in visibility on the road network, especially strategic road network on a day-to-day basis, then driver behaviour will deteriorate.” He continued, “We’ll see inappropriate driving behaviour, people using mobile phones, not wearing their seat belts, excessive speed, which have all been known for a long time to increase the likelihood of a collision.” HMICS inspectors indicated their knowledge of a recent proposal from senior management, currently paused, to concentrate on day and late shifts instead of a 24-hour staffing approach. Mr. Naylor additionally encouraged the force to simplify the process for the public to report road traffic offences, suggesting direct uploading of video clips instead of requiring a prior phone call to the force. The report put forward 13 recommendations, among them exploring methods to reduce officers’ court time by utilizing virtual appearances. Furthermore, it suggested that the force collaborate with the Scottish government on a legislative amendment that would permit an agency other than the police to handle the escorting of abnormal loads. Adrian Simpson, head of policy at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), stated that adequate resources are crucial for upholding the objectives of Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2030. This framework outlines an ambition for Scotland to achieve the world’s leading road safety performance by the beginning of the next decade. Mr. Simpson further commented: “Due to rising casualty rates, we believe that visible, proactive road policing should remain a priority. “Policing plays a vital role in promoting safer driving behaviours and deters dangerous practices.” Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, Police Scotland’s head of road policing, confirmed that the force is actively working to implement some of the HMICS recommendations. She stated: “Road policing officers are out every day educating road users and carrying out enforcement. “It is encouraging to see our work with road safety partners to embed crucial behaviour change recognised in this report.” She also mentioned that Chief Constable Jo Farrell has explicitly stated the service needs to adapt to address demand. Chief Superintendent Sloan concluded: “As part of this, we have outlined that we will identify and implement a sustainable model for road policing.”