A top north-east traffic police officer has insisted he remains committed to making the region’s roads accident-free – despite three fatal crashes in the past two weeks.
Ewan Innes – roads policing inspector for Aberdeenshire and Moray – spoke out as officers continued their investigations into the collisions at Kincardine O’Neil, the Cairn O’Mount and Inverbervie, which left three people dead.
Mr Innes said the number of fatal accidents in June had actually fallen, compared to the same month last year when there were five cases.
However he and his colleagues are braced for further tragedies over the remainder of the summer.
“We are aware that the north-east of Scotland has got a problem with road traffic accidents,” he said.
“They come in spates. It might start in June and go right through to July and August and then tail off again. It seems to be in relation to better weather.”
On Sunday, June 14, an 18-year-old youth died in a crash on the A93 Aberdeen-Braemar road near Kincardine O’Neil.
Last weekend a motorcyclist was killed in a collision on the Cairn O’Mount road.
It was followed by another smash on Monday when a woman’s car careered 200ft off the A92 Stonehaven to Montrose road, near Inverbervie.
Despite the recent tragedies, Insp Innes said the rate of deaths on north-east roads was on a downward trend, with last year’s tally falling to 39.
He added: “If you look at 1974 there were 110 fatalities. Even back to 2006 you are looking at 50 to 60 fatalities.
“It is decreasing every year and we are obviously looking to get it coming down further and further. Zero would be the ideal target.”
He said high-visibility patrols at accident hotspots and the progress of road safety initiative Operation Cedar had contributed to the reduction in crashes.
“Nobody goes out in a car to cause a collision,” he added.
“In Aberdeenshire and Moray we have identified routes where the highest number of collisions are taking place and we are working hard to get people to drive in accordance with the conditions.”
