Police Scotland has today launched its vulnerable road users campaign and Road Policing Officers in the East of Scotland have shared the story of a mother whose son was recently involved in a collision.
Between Monday 4th July and Friday 8th July police in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Scottish Borders, Fife and Forth Valley will provide a range of advice and guidance aimed at keeping pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists safe on the roads.
In addition, the campaign will look to ensure that motorists, van drivers and HGV drivers are also mindful of their responsibilities when utilising the road network.
To kick off the campaign in the East, police have released details of a young boy who was involved in a collision with a vehicle last month.
Two-year-old Ryan Dalton was on a trip to Hermiston Gait Retail Park with his mum on Tuesday 14th June when he managed to break free and ran into the path of a car where he sustained a serious injury to his foot.
He was taken to hospital where it was established he had fractured his ankle.
Ryan’s leg is still in a plaster cast but he is thankfully recovering well.
His mother Li Dalton is supporting the vulnerable road users campaign and wants others to take heed of the advice being provided by police.
Li said: “To see your child involved in an accident is one of the most distressing moments of your life and I am extremely thankful that Ryan was not more seriously injured.
“Something like this can happen in the blink of an eye but it’s really important that we all do what we can to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe and I’m really glad the police have launched this campaign.
“I think everybody has a part to play in road safety and people driving cars, vans and trucks need to be really careful that they do not cause harm to people on foot or on bikes.
“I’m really thankful that the driver involved in Ryan’s accident was driving responsibly and at a suitable speed that meant he didn’t suffer any more injuries.
“Parents or anyone caring for young children should also always hold onto their child’s hand or use a harness, because even if an area seems safe, there is always a risk of an accident happening.”
Inspector Vinnie Fisher from the Road Policing Unit at Fettes in Edinburgh said: “This campaign is not only to ensure vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and those who use bicycles and motorcycles stay safe; it’s to make sure other vehicle operators are mindful that we share the road network and that we must do all we can to keep each other safe.
“Reducing the number of casualties on our roads is a priority for Police Scotland and this initiative is about enlisting the support and assistance of the public in helping us to achieve our goals.
“Over the next few days we will be sharing a number of safety messages through our various platforms and I would ask our communities in East Scotland to check out their relevant police social media accounts to see what we’re doing.
“We also offer road safety advice on our website at www.scotland.police.uk.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
