THE NUMBER of fatalities on Tayside’s roads fell by 40% between 2004 and 2006, according to new figures published yesterday.

Provisional figures released by transport minister Stewart Stevenson in response to a parliamentary question revealed that 21 people died in road accidents in Tayside last year, down from 35 deaths in 2004 and 29 in 2006.

There has also been a fall in the number of non-fatal injuries, serious and slight, over the same period.

In 2004 there were 1426 people injured in Tayside. In 2005 this figure dropped to 1283 injuries and in 2006 rose just two to 1285.

In Fife, 30 people died on the roads in 2004, a figure halved the following year, although it rose again to 19 in 2006. The number of non-fatal injuries in Fife fell from 982 in 2004 to 889 last year.

Chief Inspector Sandy Bowman, Tayside Police’s head of road policing, said the force was pleased to see the fatalities total appeared to be falling but the final figures would not be released until later this year.

“These are provisional figures but we do give a guarded welcome to them. It is encouraging to note there is a downward trend for fatalities and non-fatal injuries, which take into account serious and slight injuries,” he said. “But we must recognise that these figures can fluctuate for a number of reasons.”

CI Bowman said of high-profile campaigns, such as the Don’t Risk It campaign targeting young drivers who break the law, “We certainly hope the publicity achieved through campaigns and the road safety initiative works. It’s an ongoing process and we will continue to publicise the ongoing dangers.”

CI Bowman added that despite the success in reducing the number of deaths on the region’s roads, Tayside Police would continue to crack down on dangerous drivers.

“Work goes on to stop drink and drug driving, inappropriate speed, drivers using mobile phones or catching unlicensed and uninsured drivers,” he said. “We will continue to work to make the roads safe for everyone.”