Scotland is facing a “crisis” after a report found it has the highest rate of accidental deaths in the UK.

People are more likely to die in a crash in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK, according to a study by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

The charity, which counts King Charles among its patrons, revealed that the accidental death rate in Scotland is 56% higher than in the UK.

RoSPA’s new report also showed that the situation has worsened – up 57% in the past decade. In 2022, more than 2,500 people in Scotland lost their lives in an accident.

Accidental falls and poisoning were the most common cause of accidental death in Scotland in 2022, the charity revealed.

It showed that death from accidental poisoning is 139% higher in Scotland than in the rest of the UK.

The study added that there had been a sharp rise in drug-related deaths in Scotland since the early 2010s, which has one of the highest rates of drug-related deaths in the developed world, although this had started to fall in recent years.

Death from accidental falls accounted for 42% of all accidental deaths in Scotland, making almost twice as many people die from accidental falls as anywhere else in the UK.

The study suggested that Scotland’s “rugged terrain and wetter conditions and potentially higher proportions of people living in flats or apartments” could be the reason for the high numbers.

Accidental drowning deaths were also found to be the highest in Scotland in the UK, with the study finding that Scots were 59% more likely to drown, partly due to easy access to inland waters.

It also found that drowning deaths are more likely due to colder water temperatures, increasing the risk of cold water shock.

The study showed that death from exposure to smoke, fire or flames is 42% higher than in the rest of the UK, due to the higher rate of fires.

It also found that Scotland has the highest rate of fatal road accidents, with drivers, pedestrians and cyclists almost twice as likely to be killed in a transport-related accident than anywhere else in the UK.

People in cars are 166% more likely to die in a driving accident on Scottish roads than elsewhere, while pedestrians are 96% more likely to be killed and motorcyclists 51% .

The charity added that preventable accidents cost the UK £12 billion every year in lost working days and medical care.

The study added that accidents put a “huge strain” on the NHS and can cost £6bn a year in healthcare.

Following the study, RoSPA called on the government to create a “national accident prevention strategy” to save lives, boost the economy and free up capacity in the NHS.

Steve Cole, director of policy, campaigns and public affairs at RoSPA, said Scotland was facing an “accident crisis”.

“Scotsmen are much more likely to have a serious accident today than they were 20 years ago,” he said.

“We must act now to stop preventable deaths and serious injuries – accidents are avoidable and must not happen.”

Mr Cole continued: “Even those who have never been involved in an accident are still suffering as increasing numbers of accidents are choking the UK economy and swallowing up the NHS – taking up bed space, money, time and resources that would could be directed to other people. serious illnesses.”

Dr James Broun, Research Manager at RoSPA and author of Safer Lives, Stronger Nation, said: “Our major review of all crash data reveals the full scale and true cost of crashes for the first time.

“This data is unique; it looks at all types of accidents in the UK as well as individually across all four nations,” he said.

“Accidents are not currently monitored or recorded to the same extent as other health problems, but the findings are alarming.”

The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.

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