24 hour policing campaign to crack down on offences
A 24-HOUR road policing campaign aimed at cracking down on mobile phone and seat belt offences will take place throughout Tayside on Thursday (tomorrow).
The campaign, which starts at midnight tonight and will involve all eight of Scotland's Police Forces, endeavours to promote compliance with the law in respect of the use of mobile phones whilst driving and wearing of seat belts.
Sergeant Rachael Francis from the Road Policing Unit in Tayside said:
"It is clear that failure to comply with the law in respect of both can have significant consequences for anyone involved in a collision. Mobile phones are known to be a significant cause of distraction to drivers by virtue of the fact that the driver cannot give their full attention to the road.
"Failure to wear a seat belt will often result in someone being thrown from the vehicle following a collision and that will usually result in serious injury if not death.
"Don't be tempted to answer the phone when driving, no call is worth it. If you need to use the phone, then stop at the first safe opportunity.
"Why not switch the phone off, after all it's not the person who is calling you that will end up with three points on their licence. It's your licence that will get three points. Don't let anyone tell you any different.
"The use of seat belts is one of the key reasons that the number of deaths and injuries on roads have reduced over the course of many years. Put simply, they prevent you from being thrown from the vehicle in a collision. It should be instinct to put one on straight away. You may regret it if you don't."
During 2009, a total of 947 people were reported for using a mobile phone while driving and were given a conditional offer or fixed penalty with a 60 fine and 3 points.
A total of 1084 were reported for failing to wear a seat belt and this includes the 21 drivers of cars where a child was not suitably restrained. The penalty for failure to wear a seat belt is now 60. During 2009 a total of 21 people died on roads in Tayside.
Sergeant Francis added: "On Wednesday of this week a young woman was seen driving her car from a filling station in Dundee. Though the infant in the back of the car was suitably restrained, the woman was not.
"How can a parent justify such a risk. As has been said before, collisions and incidents on the road happen in the blink of any eye, it is impossible to factor everything into account, but personal safety and sensible precautions should come top of the list."
"Seat belts save lives. Put your belt on, slow down and switch your mobile phone off. Please don't risk it."
Speed limits vary according to the type of vehicle you are driving. Information relating to speed limits can be found in the Highway Code and also on the Tayside Safety Camera Partnership website at www.safetayside.co.uk or via e-mail to safetayside@tayside.pnn.police.uk
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Weather for Brechin
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 3 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South west
