LEARNER drivers should be given compulsory lessons on how to drive on country roads in a bid to reduce deaths and accidents, a charity has said.

Road safety charity Brake wants to see the move introduced as part of a graduated licensing system, saying it would reduce fatalities and serious injuries.

Statistics show the majority of deaths from crashes occur on country roads and that the numbers are on the rise in Scotland.

Last year, road deaths in rural areas increased by almost one-quarter, from 121 in 2015 to 149 in 2016.

Across the UK, 80 per cent of fatal crashes occur outside of urban areas, with drivers having to navigate unfamiliar and and unlit carriageways which often t wist unpredictably.

Earlier this month three people lost their lives in separate accidents on Scottish rural roads.

Motorcyclist Douglas Lawie, 47, of Inverurie, died following a collision on the A92 just north of Inverkeilor, while another motorcyclist was killed when his orange Kawasaki Z1000 motorcycle left the road just to the south of Glencoe village.

A man also died following a two-vehicle crash in the Borders on the A701 Broughton to Moffat Road, around half a mile south of the road f rom Cappercleuch at Tweedsmuir.

Jason Wakeford, director of campaigns for Brake, said that such roads can often prove a daunting challenge for drivers and motorcyclists who learned solely by driving in towns and cities.

He said: “High speeds, sharp bends, narrow lanes, risky overtaking and the presence of vulnerable road users like cyclists, make rural roads the most dangerous by far.

“The combination of rural roads and novice drivers is lethal – a staggering 80 per cent of all young car driver fatalities occur in rural locations.

“Brake is calling for a total overhaul of the learning to drive system to help cut fatalities and injuries.”

The charity wants to see new drivers facing gaining their licence after a mandatory learning period which would include training on country roads.

There would also be a different set of restrictions for those who had recently passed their tests, such as a zero drink-drive limit, which would help drivers to build up more skills and experience over a longer period of time.

Mr Wakeford suggested that other safety measures should be considered, saying: “This approach has dramatically reduced road casualties in countries including Australia and New Zealand and could save some 400 lives a year if implemented in the UK.

“Brake is also calling for a review of rural speed limits and for Voluntary Intelligent Speed Adaptation, which helps drivers keep within the limit, to be fitted as standard to new cars. There is also the need for better and more affordable public transport, so fewer young people see starting driving in their teens as a necessity.”

A spokesman for the Department of Transport said: “We have some of the safest roads in the world and we are determined to do everything we can to make them even safer. We encourage learner drivers to experience as many driving conditions and road types as possible before taking their test, however making lessons compulsory on rural roads would be impractical for people due to geographical distances and potential associated costs.

“We are constantly taking action to help keep young drivers safe including allowing learner drivers to take lessons on motorways with an approved instructor, tightening the laws on drug driving and using a mobile phone behind the wheel.”