Police launch campaign to cut Highland road deaths

A MAJOR road safety campaign has been launched by the police in response to a rise in the number of people killed and seriously injured on Highland roads.

Operation Cedar (Challenge, Educate, Detect and Reduce) will include patrols using marked and unmarked vehicles to target speeding motorists and those using their mobile phones, educational initiatives to improve driving behaviour and the identification of road engineering solutions.

So far this year, 18 people have died in collisions on Highland roads compared to 17 last year when 74 people were also seriously injured.

The campaign, which aims to take a more co-ordinated approach to looking at the factors involved across the Highlands and Islands, also involves the North Safety Camera Partnership, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Scottish Ambulance Service, local councils and Bear Scotland.

Chief Inspector Iain MacLelland, who led the development of Operation Cedar, said communities regularly highlighted road safety as one of their main concerns.

He said the cause and circumstances of every collision were different but the campaign partnership would look at possible safety improvements.

He also acknowledged the boom in tourism meant many drivers were unfamiliar with the region’s roads.

“Road usage in the region is a complex picture with local residents going about their daily business sharing the routes with visitors to the area,” he said.

“Operation Cedar will mean we can also work more closely with partners to consider the best ways to reinforce how to behave while behind the wheel.

“Excessive speed, distractions through the use of mobile phones or similar and driving while under the influence are all factors which can lead to tragic consequences on the roads.”

Three drivers were in custody at the weekend for drink-driving offences, and one for drug-driving.