Seatbelt crackdown

Police Scotland to continue efforts in making roads safe

POLICE in Tayside are set to continue their crackdown on law-breaking drivers following an anti-speeding campaign.

Tayside cops took part in a national campaign aimed at tackling speeding from last Monday until Sunday.

The force will now focus on drivers who flout seatbelt laws.

Inspector Ray Cuthill, of Tayside’s road policing unit, said the campaigns were aimed at trying to reduce the public’s risk of being involved in a serious accident.

He said: “We focus on a variety of road crimes and road traffic offences throughout the year. Along with my counterparts across the country, we’ll now be focusing on seatbelts.

“With these campaigns throughout the year, it’s about getting across to members of the public that these activities are ongoing and making them aware that we’re doing them.”

However, Insp Cuthill said he was realistic about the campaign not resonating with a minority of drivers who see themselves as above the law.

He added: “There’s no great secret to these campaigns. We just want to ensure that the large majority of road users are aware.

“There will always be a number of road users who take no notice and will offend. However, we will continue to work with the public to keep them safe.

“The last thing we want is for people to be involved in a fatal or a serious road traffic collision — that’s what it’s all about.”

Police Scotland statistics revealed that seatbelt offences have fallen dramatically, dropping by almost twothirds in April-June this year compared with the same period last year.

But as the Tele reported last week, speeding offences have risen by almost 18% and account for more than a third of all motoring crimes.

As a whole, about 95.5% of all motoring crimes in the first three months of 2017/18 were successfully detected by Tayside cops. Our

After targeting speeding, police are now set to focus on seatbelts.