Tuesday March 10th 2026
A698
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
The A698 in the Scottish Borders is the UK’s worst road for dangerous driving, according to new research.
As part of the research more than 1,500 alerts triggered by vehicle tracking technology were analysed for harsh braking, cornering and acceleration – all indicators of dangerous driving.
It found that drivers navigating the UK’s rural roads face the greatest dangers, with the A698 between Kelso and Jedburgh coming out on top.
Vehicles travelling this stretch recorded an average of 19.25 alert events each – more than five times the rate seen in London.
All 77 alerts on this road were harsh braking events, pointing to sharp bends, limited visibility and concealed junctions that force drivers into sudden stops.
The A698 is a key Borders route passing through scenic, rural areas near the River Teviot and it is also used by the 20 bus service.
The study was carried out by representatives of Ram Tracking, a comprehensive GPS-based vehicle tracking and fleet management system designed for businesses to monitor vehicles in real-time, improve driver safety, and reduce operational costs.
The A6 through Darley Dale near Matlock in the Derbyshire Peak District came in a close second, recording 18.50 alerts per vehicle.
Unlike the Scottish Borders, the A6’s problems are almost entirely down to harsh cornering.
By comparison, London recorded 977 total alerts across 265 vehicles – an average of 3.69 alerts per vehicle, placing it 12th in the rankings.
While the capital’s roads see more incidents in total due to sheer traffic volume, drivers are statistically far less likely to trigger a dangerous driving alert in London than on rural roads in Scotland, Wales or the Midlands.
Three Scottish locations featured in the study’s top five.
The A698 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, pointing to sudden stops caused by sharp bends, concealed junctions and unpredictable road conditions.
For fleet drivers covering rural Scottish routes regularly, the data suggests these roads demand heightened awareness.
Across all UK locations, harsh cornering was the most frequently triggered alert, accounting for 715 of the 1,567 total events (46%).
Harsh braking followed closely with 671 events (43%), while harsh acceleration made up the remaining 181 events (11%).
Richard Blown, chief technology officer at Ram Tracking, said the data was a “wake-up call” for fleets.
He added: “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 having a clearer picture of the risks their drivers face.”
Tweet Share on Facebook
