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Road Safety
The Service attends approximately 300 road traffic collisions per year throughout the Highland and Islands area.
Unfortunately, 67 people died on our roads between October 2008 & October 2010. Of these, 15 were aged between 17 and 25, and 12 of the 15 were male.
Working with the police and other partners we visit schools to deliver the Driving Ambition Initiative to try and reduce this figure.
Young Drivers - The Facts
- Road crashes are the biggest killer of teens worldwide
- An 18 year old is more than three times as likely to be involved in a crash, than someone in their forties.
- One in five of new drivers is involved in a crash in their first year of driving.
- Young male drivers aged between 17 and 20 are seven times more at risk than older male drivers. This risk increases between the hours of 2am and 5am.
Keep Yourself Safe
- Never get into a car with a driver who has been drinking or taking drugs.
- Remember: No seat = No space.
- Never distract the driver. It only takes a split second to lose concentration and crash.
- Mobile phones are a dangerous distraction. As a driver, always turn your mobile phone off before setting out. Passengers should set phones to silent so they don’t distract the driver.
- It is impossible for you to know how much alcohol will put you over the limit – the safest option is not to drink
- Drunk passengers may be more of a distraction for the driver. Refuse to take anyone that you feel may be a risk to your ability to drive safely.
Keep your Vehicle Safe
- Check fuel line for wear and tear
- Loose or worn connections cause safety problems
- Check tread, pressure, damage (nails etc)
- Radiator - check fluid levels and top up if required
- Oil - check fluid levels and top up if required
- Lights should be functioning and clean
Your vehicle is your responsibility – windscreen wipers, child seats and seatbelts should also be checked regularly.
For further information on road Safety please visit the following links:
http://www.road-safety.org.uk/education-and-families/curriculum-for-excellence/rse-in-curriculum-for-excellence-booklet/
http://files.northern.police.uk/road-safety/young-driver-guide.pdf
http://www.protectchild.co.uk/incar/index.php
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