Pupils from Trinity Academy are helping Lothian and Borders Police and the City of Edinburgh Council launched the first ever road safety weekend in the Capital on Friday 8th October.
The ‘Don’t be a Fool, be Cool on the Road’ event is being held this Saturday and Sunday at Ocean Terminal shopping centre and aims to raise awareness of the risks and responsibilities associated with driving through interactive learning and experiences.
The large scale event has been nine months in the planning for Road Safety Officers from Lothian and Borders Police, in conjunction with various partner agencies in the city.
A number of stalls will be set up throughout the bottom floor of the centre, all focusing on raising awareness of the importance of road safety.
Visitors will have the chance to enter competitions to win prizes courtesy of Ocean Terminal, including hair cuts, cinema tickets and skateboarding lessons.
One of the main attractions include the seatbelt sled, where volunteers will be strapped into a machine that replicates the force involved in hitting a brick wall at 15 mph.
Other highlights include Dr Bike, where visitors can come along and get their bikes checked for free by trained professionals to make sure they’re road worthy and safe.
This event is part of a wider programme of road safety awareness within Edinburgh all aimed at reducing the number of people killed or injured on the roads. In Edinburgh last year, 36 fewer people were killed or seriously injured on the roads compared to the three year average.
Chief Superintendent Gill Imery, Divisional Commander for the City of Edinburgh, said “With the darker nights drawing in, keeping yourself and your family safe on the road has never been more important. Events like this one are so useful for giving people helpful advice on how to practice effective road safety.
“I am grateful to Ocean Terminal for hosting this event, which is the first of its kind of Edinburgh.
“Lothian and Borders Police has been steadily reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads but we know there is still a lot of work to be done to bring these numbers down to zero.”
Councillor Gordon Mackenzie, Transport Convener for City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Road collisions can be devastating for those involved and in many cases have a serious impact on families, friends and colleagues as well. It is important that we all share responsibility for ensuring that Edinburgh’s roads are safer for everyone.
“We have set ambitious targets for improving road safety in Edinburgh and it is only through working with our partners on initiatives such as Streets Ahead that these will be met.”
Steve Gourlay, Group Manager Community Safety, at Lothian and Borders
Fire and Rescue Service said “We have a vital role in the partnership approach to making the roads in Edinburgh safer.
At these events Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service will highlight the consequences of accidents on our roads and this message compliments the work of other agencies sending out a stronger road safety message.”
