Police launch drive for safety on West Lothian roads

Oct 2 2008 by Marjorie Kerr, West Lothian Courier

ROAD safety was top of the curriculum at West Lothian Council during a day of events to help young drivers steer clear of trouble.

Lothian and Borders Police recreated a three-car pile-up at the college recently to demonstrate the importance of road safety.

The event was part of the Force’s Operation Opel, which aims to reduce the number of fatal accidents on West Lothian’s roads among young people aged 17 to 25.

Young people in the area are involved in a particularly high number of collisions, and the force aims to tackle this by educating them about the potential consequences of dangerous driving.

Sergeant Darren Faulds of the Operation Opel team said there were simple rules to help road users stay safe.

He said: “Operation Opel is an ongoing project aimed at reducing the high collision rate among 17 to 25 years olds on West Lothian’s roads.

“Our messages are simple: don’t speed, wear your seatbelt and obey the laws of the road.

“It is important that young people understand driving is a privilege, not a right, and that losing your license can have very serious consequences.

“Here in West Lothian we see far too many young people speeding, driving without their seatbelt and also drinking and driving.

“They need to understand the potential consequences of such irresponsible action, which is why we’re out in schools and colleges.”

The collision reconstruction featured members of the Lothian and Borders Police as well as the Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Department and Paramedics from the Scottish Ambulance Service, and demonstrated how the three emergency service teams would manage a serious collision between two cars and a motorbike.

Spectators were able to see how victims are cut out of cars, and also how they are cared for at the scene of the accident.

In addition to the reconstruction, students received a talk on road safety from Sergeant Faulds, view a display from police and discuss road safety issues with individual police officers.

HNC Contemporary Art Practice student Jess Reilly (18) from Livingston, was among the spectators at the collision reconstruction.

She said the event made her much more aware of road safety.

Jess said: “It’s a bit scary to see what could happen if I did end up in a crash – it’s the kind of thing you think will never happen to you.

“The demonstration will make me think twice about speeding and who I get in a car with.”

West Lothian College principal, Mhairi Laughlin, added the event should help the students consider theirs and other people’s safety.

She said: “This road safety event has provided an important opportunity for young people not only to learn about the importance of driving safely, but also to appreciate the incredibly important role our uniformed officers play.

“We run a number of programmes that prepare students for a job in the uniformed services, and it’s fantastic for them to get a flavour the demands of these careers.

“The event also demonstrates the close relationship we have here at the college with Lothian and Borders Police and other key community partners.”