Be safe not sorry
Take simple steps to check your car is ready for the wintry weather conditions
DRIVERS in Scotland are being reminded to pay extra attention to the change in road conditions as winter arrives to coincide with Road Safety Week that runs from Monday until November 21.
As more drivers head back on to the roads for work, Road Safety Week this year is aiming to remind drivers of the simple basics.
Outlining the aims, Police Scotland’s Chief Superintendent Louise Blakelock said: “Keeping people safe on our roads is a priority for us throughout the year.
“However, as we head into the winter months it is important to ensure vehicles and drivers are prepared for the change in road conditions.
“I would encourage drivers to check their vehicles before we experience the first of the wintry conditions. Some simple steps can be taken to prepare such as checking lights to make sure they are in good working order.
“Ensure tyres have sufficient tread, check windscreen washer fluid levels, and look out scrapers for clearing frost and ice from your vehicle.”
Charity Brake is encouraging all road users to take part in the week to increase awareness and consideration.
It’s working with individuals, schools, and firms to get the message across that we all share the roads. It also wants kids to nominate their road safety hero, who could be from the emergency services, a school crossing attendant or a parent or guardian.
In 2020, there were 1460 reported road deaths in the UK, a drop of 17 per cent from 2019. However, the pandemic meant drivers covered 280.5billion road miles in 2020 compared to 356.5billion miles the previous year, so the fall was in line with fewer journeys. Road Safety Week organisers want to see further reductions in the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads.
Mike Thompson, chief operating officer at Leasing Options, said: “While it’s great to see the number of incidents on the road reducing over the last 12 months, we can’t hide from the fact that the number of miles driven has massively reduced as well so there is clearly more to be done when looking at road safety.”
Blakelock added: “More best practice for road users this winter will be highlighted over the coming week as part of our winter road safety campaign. Every day this week, Police Scotland will be sharing advice and tips on how to keep you and your loved ones safe this winter.”
As part of its campaign to reduce the numbers of young drivers involved in collisions, Police Scotland has also been running a New Driver Early Intervention
Scheme. Its most recent recruits were 100 apprentices at Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd in Caithness.
Road policing constable Shaun Knox said: “Being able to share our first-hand experiences of dealing with serious and fatal road traffic collisions, these inputs give us an opportunity to reinforce the message about how easy it can all go wrong on the roads.
“The scheme aims to impact on the way these young drivers will now think when getting behind a steering wheel, remembering that they are not only in control of their lives but their passengers’ lives, and the lives of other road users as well.”
Dounreay Site Restoration’s apprentice training manager Carol Robertson said: “Living in a rural location means our young people are reliant on their vehicles. Anything we can do to help them be safer on the roads, reflect on their driving habits and, hopefully, reduce the number of road traffic incidents is of huge benefit.”