Analysis of more than 1,500 vehicles fitted with tracking devices has revealed that a route through the Scottish Borders is the UK’s most dangerous road for drivers, writes Peter Brown.
RAM Tracking found that the A698 between Kelso and Jedburgh topped its list of the UK’s worst roads for dangerous driving. The company analysed more than 1,500 driving alert events triggered by its vehicle-tracking technology and measured the rate of incidents per vehicle.
The A698 recorded an average of 19.25 alert events per vehicle. All 77 alerts logged on the road were harsh braking incidents, suggesting sharp bends, limited visibility and concealed junctions are forcing drivers into sudden stops.
The route narrowly beat the A6 through Darley Dale near Matlock in the Derbyshire Peak District, which ranked second with 18.50 alerts per vehicle. Almost all incidents there were linked to harsh cornering. The road’s notorious twists and turns through the Derwent Valley appear to be catching drivers out, with 37 cornering alerts recorded during the study period.
Richard Blown, chief technology officer at RAM Tracking, said: “Most people would assume London is the most dangerous place to drive in the UK, but our data tells a different story.
“When you look at the rate of dangerous driving events per vehicle, it’s actually roads like the A698 in the Scottish Borders and the A6 through the Peak District that pose the greatest risk. These roads see far fewer vehicles, but those travelling through them are significantly more likely to encounter hazardous conditions.”
He added: “For businesses with fleet drivers covering rural routes, this data is a wake-up call. Investing in vehicle tracking and driver behaviour monitoring gives fleet managers the visibility to identify problem areas and take action – whether that’s adjusting routes, providing targeted training or simply gaining a clearer picture of the risks their drivers face.”
Three Scottish locations featured in the top five. The A698 in the Scottish Borders led the entire UK, while Dunfermline in Fife and Edinburgh both recorded 11 alerts per vehicle. Harsh braking was the dominant alert type across all three locations, suggesting sudden stops caused by sharp bends, concealed junctions and unpredictable road conditions. For fleet drivers regularly covering rural Scottish routes, the data indicates these roads demand heightened awareness.
Across all UK locations analysed, harsh cornering was the most frequently triggered alert, accounting for 715 of the 1,567 total events (46%). Harsh braking followed with 671 events (43%), while harsh acceleration made up the remaining 181 alerts (11%).
