Keith residents will be shown harrowing images of people involved in Grampian car crashes tonight in a bid to promote safer driving.
A Moray Road Safety Group awareness meeting is being held at Fife-Keith Square, following the death of a young teenager last month.
Stuart Harper, 17, of Hay Crescent, Keith, was killed when the car he was a passenger in hit a tree on the A95 Banff-Keith road near Cornhill, on May 30.
Representatives from Grampian Fire and Rescue Services and Grampian Police will be attending the event to provide information on driving safely, and to demonstrate the consequences of crashes.
In the past five years, Grampian’s fire services have attended 317 crashes, of which over 100 involved firefighters having to cut people free from wreckages.
Elgin fire station crew manager Anna Evans, who will be at the event, said it was important for drivers to understand the devastation that could be caused by fatal crashes.
She said: “We’re going to the area where young people normally meet, so it’s a chance for us to go to them, rather than expect them to come to us.
“We’re trying to increase awareness of driving safely and will be showing them the consequences of collisions by showing graphic photographs of accidents.
“The highest number of collisions are caused by 17 to 25-year-olds, but this event is for all ages.
“It’s about driving more safely and according to the road conditions.
“There are a lot of rural roads in Moray so drivers often find that they have to reduce their speed, particularly in the winter when there’s extreme weather.”
Constable Julia Bremner added: “It’s not about trying to preach to people, it’s just about making them aware of their own safety.”
Moray Road Safety Group is made up of members of Moray Council, Grampian Fire And Rescue Service, Grampian Police, Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS Grampian, Bear Scotland and local driving instructors.
Members of the group have advised that some of the images to be used during tonight’s event, which starts at 7pm, are not suitable for under-16s.