Scottish road safety campaign launches ahead of summer riding season

If you've got a trip to the North Coast 500, the Cairngorms or any of Scotland's bucket-list biking roads pencilled in this summer, there's a new campaign aimed squarely at you.

Road Safety Scotland and the Scottish Government have launched the latest phase of their Breathtaking Roads initiative, called The Road is Calling, which encourages riders to enjoy Scotland's spectacular roads while keeping one eye firmly on the risks that come with them.

Rather than taking the usual finger-wagging approach, the campaign leads with what draws riders north in the first place. The short film is told from the perspective of Scotland's roads, recognising the pull they have on motorcyclists while slipping in reminders about preparation, hazard awareness and rider behaviour.

Scotland's roads attract thousands of visiting bikers every year, particularly during the summer months when routes like the NC500 become a magnet for touring riders from across the UK and beyond.

According to Road Safety Scotland, motorcyclists account for less than one per cent of traffic on Scotland's roads but make up around a quarter of all road fatalities. It's a statistic that has driven the Breathtaking Roads campaign since it was first introduced in 2018.

As part of the latest push, the organisation is encouraging riders to watch and share the campaign film, while also promoting its Live Fast Die Old Facebook community, which has grown to more than 27,000 members. The page offers route ideas, riding advice and safety information throughout the year.

For anyone heading north over the coming weeks, it's a timely reminder that Scotland's roads can be every bit as rewarding as the photos suggest, but they also demand respect.

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