An online petition calling for the A9 to be dualled in its entirety has passed the 10,000-signature barrier.
Grieving relatives, worried drivers and concerned locals have all used the petition as a platform to call for an end to the carnage regularly seen on the Perth to Inverness section.
Regular switches from dual to single carriageway are seen as key causes of accidents, many of them fatal, prompting calls for a uniform layout along the 113-mile stretch.
Thirteen people died in accidents on the road north of Perth last year and two have died so far this year.
The Courier has long backed the notion of an A9 dual carriageway to improve safety.
The Dual The A9 website was set up by parliamentary candidate Murdo Fraser, who said the 10,000-signature mark must serve to “refocus efforts.”
He said, “Residents in Perth, Dunkeld, Aberfeldy, Pitlochry, Coupar Angus, Blairgowrie, Blair Atholl and across Scotland and the United Kingdom have signed this petition, which underlines the strong feeling in Perthshire and across the country that this road needs to be upgraded.
“I have always welcomed the support of The Courier in the campaign to dual this road.”‘The status quo is not good enough’Among the comments attached to signatures was a call for contractors to be appointed for the work quickly and another calling the road a “deathtrap.”
There is also a tribute to two of the most recent victims, Jim and Anne Forbes from Denny.
Jim was a long-standing road safety campaigner.
Another man mentions his brother and three friends killed on the road.
Mr Fraser said, “It is clear from the comments on the website www.dualtheA9.com that many people who use the A9 want to see it dualled as soon as possible.
“I want all political parties to come together and unite to work towards the goal of A9 dualling.
“Road users of the A9 must continue to put pressure on all political parties and I urge as many people as possible to sign this petition and send a clear message that the status quo is not good enough.”