LEADING insurer NFU Mutual is calling on people to take more care driving in the countryside after Department of Transport statistics revealed that 60 per cent of all road accident fatalities occur on rural roads.

As winter sets in, the message to rural road users is to be cautious and remember that on cold, icy days country roads may not be gritted‚ so drivers should adapt their behaviour accordingly.

As well as hazardous weather conditions, it is important to be aware of farm vehicles, slow-moving vehicles and other, more vulnerable road users, such as walkers, horse riders and cyclists.

“Drivers used to well-maintained A roads can sometimes fail to appreciate the hazards of rural roads,” warned Tim Price, a rural affairs specialist for NFU Mutual.

“Accidents are caused all too frequently when drivers of fast-moving vehicles fail to appreciate that horses or a tractor could be around the next corner,” he said.

“Worryingly, 60 per cent of fatalities occur on country roads and the number of people killed on country roads is nearly 11 times higher than on motorways.

“Some of the most serious accidents involve farm vehicles coming into collision with fast-moving cars, lorries and motorcycles. This is why it’s important to be cautious and considerate of other road users, especially if weather conditions are poor.”

According to the Department for Transport, in the year ending September 2015, traffic volumes increased by 5.8 per cent on minor rural roads, the biggest percentage increase of any road type, to 45.4 billion vehicle miles.

On rural A roads, traffic also rose by two per cent to some 90.7 billion vehicle miles.