Serious road injuries are falling faster in the rest of Scotland than in Tayside and Fife.
New figures show that Dundee had the lowest rate of road safety improvement in the nation in recent years.
Angus, Perth & Kinross, and Fife, are also significantly below the average.
Official data from government agency Transport Scotland shows there was a 6% cut in the number of serious casualties in Dundee when the average for 2017-2021 is compared to the rate recorded for 2014-2018.
Angus had the next lowest rate of improvement in Scotland, with a 9% reduction, followed by 11% in Highland, 12% in Perth and Kinross, and 15% in Fife.
The Scottish average was a 24% cut in serious injuries in the period.
- Dundee recorded 39 serious injuries on city roads last year, down from 50
- In Angus there were 51, an increase on the 49 incidents in both the preceding two years
- The number for Perth and Kinross also increased year-on-year from 53 to 75
- In Fife, there was a reduction from 109 to 84.
The death rate also fell dramatically in Fife, from 12 in 2020 to two last year.
There have been three fatalities in Angus in each of the last three years, while the number for Dundee dropped from two to one last year.
In Perth and Kinross, the number of road deaths increased from three in 2020 to five in 2021.
Time to dual the A9?
Highland has had the highest number of deaths on its roads in each of the last six years.
There were 14 tragedies recorded there last year, including nine on trunk roads.
It takes the total death toll in Highland to 108 since 2016.
The figures prompted fresh demands for action for the Scottish Government to honour its pledge to dual the A9 from Perth to Inverness.
Local MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston said: “Improvements are urgently needed.
“The area now has a notorious reputation as one where lives are at risk on our roads. SNP ministers should stop bowing to the demands of their Green coalition partners, who are delaying investment in our roads, and commit to ensuring they are as safe as possible.
“If they don’t, these deaths will sadly only continue to increase.”
A Transport Scotland spokesman said overall road casualties remained at some of their lowest levels since annual records began in 1950.
He added: “One death on Scotland’s roads is one too many.
“The fact that road casualties are some of their lowest levels, even with increasing car use over time, means very little to those who have sadly lost friends and loved ones in tragic circumstances.
“We are aware this year has seen tragic accidents across the road network and we remain committed to acting with our partners to address the issues these present to our communities, our society and the individuals involved.”
Superintendent Stewart Mackie, deputy head of road policing, said: “We work tirelessly to improve road safety for all users across Scotland and recognise that any death is a tragedy.
“Police Scotland is committed to supporting the Scottish Government’s Road Safety Framework to reduce road deaths and injuries through education and enforcement action, alongside our road safety partners.
“We all have a responsibility to be safe on the roads, and I urge all drivers and road users to help us make Scotland’s roads safe for everyone.”