Scotland is one of the safest places to motorbike

For motorcyclists, Scotland is one of the safest places to be on the road in the UK.

Which means, if you’re planning a road trip on your bike, Scotland should be at the top of your list. In fact, in Scotland motorcyclists are 10 times less likely to be injured than those using motorcycles in London.

Although the research, which was taken from 2017 accident data, showed Scotland to be the third most-safe for UK motorcyclists – with north-east England and Wales having fewer accidents involving motorcycles – Scotland is especially popular for bikes due to the winding and scenic country roads.

In particular, some of the best (and safest!) places for motorcycles in Scotland are East Dunbartonshire and the Orkney Islands. In both of these locations, there were only three casualties in 2017. Third on the Scottish list was the Western Isles, where seven casualties were reported in the same year.

Scotland has numerous beautiful drives for bikers to enjoy. This includes, the road from Glasgow to Inveraray, which encompasses both a drive by Loch Lomond and through the famous Rest and Be Thankful. Here you’ll go by the Arrochar Alps and can stop to view Glen Croe. Continue on to Inveraray past the Loch Fyne show and remember to stop for a bag of their famous chips.

Not all of Scotland is entirely safe for motorcyclists though, as from the same set of data, Edinburgh had the highest number of casualties at 95.

It’s important to remember that the capital has much more traffic than other areas of the country, especially during peak commuting hours and at busy times like the Fringe.

We have also able to pinpoint the worst time for motorcyclists to be on the road. While for accidents, 5pm on a Thursday had the highest number of motorcycle crashes, fatalities occurred most at 12pm on a Sunday. A time when riders are out for pleasure rather than commuting.

So, if you are planning to go on a road trip to Scotland, it’s important that you take a few key tips in order to keep yourself as safe as possible while on the road:

•  Always stay strictly within the speed limit. No matter how quiet the roads are, these limits are in place to keep everyone as safe as possible, including motorcyclists.
•  Try to avoid heavily congested roads as much as you can. This means avoiding cities at peak times like commuting times. Instead, look for
  scenic routes and travel at off-peak times. Not only will this be safer, but you’ll get to enjoy the scenery all to yourself.
•  Ensure you have roadside cover. As well as staying safe on the road, remember that mechanical problems can occur. A policy that provides roadside assistance will help you to get back on the road as soon as possible. Also remember to have provisions with you, like water and snacks, especially when driving on rural roads.

Whether you have a motorcycle already or you’re planning on buying one, safety is key so always make sure you’re driving at your best in order to reduce the risk of being involved in an accident.

• Read more motoring news from Scottish Field HERE.