Speeding drivers ‘major concern’ for Scots public

The road safety issue is also the only one to have featured in the top three over the past three years.

Violent crime and drug dealing were the other top concerns, but road safety accounted for two of the top three in the Highlands and Islands.

The findings from a poll of 43,000 people came as Sir Stephen said the number of road deaths in 2014-15 currently equalled last year’s total of 184, with two weeks to go to the end of the year.

The chief constable also pointed out the figure was three times that for homicides.

He said of the road deaths: “With many of those fatalities, there is something that could be done about it.”

Sir Stephen described many incidents as “blameworthy”. He said: “We fall into the language of calling them accidents but they are the minority.”

He said these included trees falling on vehicles, but many involved drivers going too fast or people not wearing seatbelts.

Sir Stephen said the police would continue to focus on “dangerous and inappropriate” speed, such as in “hotspots” like rural A roads.

He said: “More people are killed on our roads than are murdered each year - to me this is unacceptable and to many of our local communities it is unacceptable.”

Police Scotland has launched a strategic road safety group led by Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone to consider further road safety measures.

These include how to target those most at risk, such as motorcyclists, elderly drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

He said: “More people are killed on our roads than are murdered each year - to me this is unacceptable and to many of our local communities it is unacceptable.”

Police Scotland has launched a strategic road safety group led by Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone to consider further road safety measures.

These include how to target those most at risk, such as motorcyclists, elderly drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.