Drivers who risk the safety of themselves and other road users by using mobile phones, speeding or not wearing a seatbelt are to be the focus of a campaign this week.
The week-long campaign to promote safer driving which began on Saturday 9 November and will run until Friday 15 November, is being led by the Road Policing Division with support from the Safety Camera Units.
In particular, officers want to highlight the importance of wearing a seatbelt in the front and rear, regardless of the type of vehicle you are in. While there are some exceptions for wearing a seatbelt on a coach or bus if one is provided it is advisable to wear it.
Wearing a seatbelt can prevent more serious injuries being inflicted, particularly if you are sitting in the rear of a vehicle. Figures reveal that in 2017, 27% of people who died in cars in Britain were not wearing a seatbelt.
Recent statistics for road casualties in 2018 highlight that driver error or reaction was reported in 65% of all reported crashes in 2018, travelling too fast was a factor in 16% of fatal crashes and driving while using a mobile phone was a factor in five fatal crashes.
Chief Inspector Simon Bradshaw said
We know that using a mobile phone, driving while distracted, travelling at inappropriate speeds and not wearing a seatbelt are significant factors in fatal and serious injury crashes. This is why we take the matter seriously as they are avoidable, which makes it all the more tragic when people are killed in road crashes under these circumstances.
Police Scotland works closely with other road safety agencies and partners to highlight the importance of driving safely but we cannot do this alone. We need motorists to take road safety seriously and to change their behaviour.
We will interact with drivers through education to influence behaviour but where necessary, we will take enforcement action.
