Campaign launched to reduce roads death toll


Police in Moray have helped launch a campaign aimed at reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on the region’s roads – but warn there is a limit to what they alone can do.

With 26 people from Moray and Aberdeenshire killed on roads over the last year, an increase of 10 from the previous year, police have launched ‘Operation Cedar (Challenge, Education, Detect and Reduce).

The initiative will see more visible police patrols and officers challenging motorists for poor driving and health issues. However, at the launch it was made clear that there was only so much the force and partner agencies could do to get the message across.

Superintendent George MacDonald said: “From the outset we’ve identified 26 people killed on roads in Aberdeenshire and Moray, an increase of 10. It is really important to acknowledge that we’re talking about real people here, people whose family, friends and work colleagues are dealing with upset and loss.

“The majority of collisions are preventable – but there is a responsibility on everyone to do what they can to reduce them, and not just the police, local authorities or the fire service.

“The public must take responsibility – speed and driver error account for 14 of the 26 people who have been killed, that’s preventable.

“Eight deaths have been due to eyesight, health, age or other medical reasons which mean they may have been unable to drive.

“It’s not the roads that cause collisions – it’s how we drive on them.”

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