Bikers looking for some dramatic scenery to ride through this summer would be well advised to take a tour of Scotland, which offers some truly stunning riding through a breathtaking landscape.

But with the beautiful countryside come some very challenging roads, with plenty of steep drops and climbs, and twists and turns to navigate – and that’s before you take in the sometimes brutal weather!

While that’s all part of the joy of riding in Scotland, it does demand that bikers put safety first.

It’s a sad fact that despite accounting for less than 1% of all road traffic in Scotland, bikers account for 17% of road deaths, with negotiating bends and overtaking among the riskiest manoeuvres.

To help counter this grim statistic, the Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland has relaunched its ‘Live Fast Die Old’ motorcycle safety campaign for the 2024 motorbike season.

The campaign, which will be live until 29 September, features a series of films which highlight the thrill of riding in beautiful landscapes, while also reminding bikers to enjoy Scotland’s roads safely.

The dedicated ‘Live Fast Die Old’ website and Facebook page house the campaign films and offer other content, including blogs from Scottish bikers sharing first-hand experience and tips with peers, route inspiration, best practice advice, riding tips and advice on getting the most out of Scotland’s legendary countryside – in safety.

The Scottish campaign is all part of a wider push to help the biker community handle rural roads in safety – something that is as important if we’re riding near home, as it is if we’re touring.

Rural roads often look idyllic, the kind of territory that is just made for bikers, but remember there are potential dangers lurking behind every sweeping corner or dramatic hill climb.

So we need to watch our speed, keep the observation sharp, be sensible on the bends and be particularly wary if riding in poor weather or visibility.

Rural riding – wherever it takes you – is fun, but do it in safety. Remember that stat: bikers are one per cent of road users, but 17 per cent of rural fatalities.