Careless Motorists Speeding and Drink Driving Targeted By Police In Scotland

Expert serious injury lawyers have welcomed a new campaign by Lothian and Borders Police which aims to reduce road deaths caused by careless and dangerous drivers.

Lothian and Borders officers will patrol routes to catch motorists either speeding, using a mobile phone or who appear to be drink driving as part of Operation Oakum, which will run until 4 March 2013.

The latest figures from Transport Scotland show that 186 people died on Scotland’s roads in 2011 – 11 per cent less than in 2010 (208) and 47 per cent less than in 2001 (348). The figures also show 1,875 people were seriously injured on Scotland’s roads in 2011, 5 per cent fewer than in 2010 (1,968) and 45 per cent less than in 2001 (3,410).

Elaine Russell, from Irwin Mitchell’s Glasgow office, says that despite the reductions in deaths and serious injuries caused by collisions police and their partners must continue to work together to reduce these figures further.

She said: “At Irwin Mitchell we see too often the devastation caused by speeding motorists, those using mobile phones at the wheel or who are drunk and the impact this can have on people’s lives. Incidents like this can leave people with debilitating and long-term injuries and victims can often need extensive physiotherapy and rehabilitation for the rest of their lives.

“One death or serious injury is one too many and that’s why we support this road safety campaign run by Lothian and Borders Police. We hope the operation raises further awareness about the impact careless driving can have on people’s lives and shows that drivers have other people’s lives in their hands when they are behind the wheel.”

Inspector Andy Amour, from Lothian and Borders Police, said action will be taken against drivers who put themselves and others at risk.

Read more about Irwin Mitchell’s expertise related to Road Traffic Accident Compensation Claims.