MORAY MOTORISTS ARE being advised to start preparing now for the winter months ahead with the annual ‘Get Ready for Winter’ police campaign launched this week.
Heavy rain, high winds and of course snow and ice are part and parcel of living in the north – but each year many drivers still ignore the common sense advice that they should always drive according to the conditions.
To help focus minds, police officers will be carrying out road checks and patrols at locations throughout Moray this week. They are looking to engage with drivers and provide advice on basic maintenance and precautions that should be taken as the winter months approach.
Last weekend road policing officers stopped 236 vehicles on various routes in Moray and Aberdeenshire, with 11 having to be reported for speeding and a further 48 receiving warnings.
Another 33 drivers were reported for offences that including using their mobile phones and failing to wear a seatbelt. There were also eight motorists charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs – all of them men aged between 23 and 63, four of whom were four times over the limit.
Inspector Ewan Innes, from the Aberdeenshire and Moray Divisional Road Policing Unit, said: “While there have been a small number of crashes over the past few days, it is encouraging that none of them resulted in any fatal or serious injuries.
“This is mainly due to the very high percentage of responsible and considerate motorists in the North East, who we can thank for their constant cooperation in our efforts to make our roads a safer place for all who use them.
“However, yet again we have a minority of motorists who continue to act in an irresponsible and selfish manner, which puts their lives and the lives of others in danger.
“It is particularly concerning to see the number of people detected for driving under the influence of alcohol and this is something that we will continue to treat as a priority as we ensure that these offenders are charged for their actions.
“As the winter closes in and nights get darker, we will continue to look for any and all opportunities to engage with motorists through further operations and days of action. The safety of road users is a top priority for our officers throughout the North East and this has been reflected in our ongoing work under the Operation CEDAR initiative.”