Drive with caution to protect your life and loved ones, says leading accident prevention charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
The UK is bracing itself for a gust of wintery weather that could lead to spike in fatal accidents
Drive safely to prevent accidents and save lives, says RoSPA – here’s how.
Motorists across the country are urged to drive with caution to avoid accidents as a gust of wintery conditions is set to hit the area at the start of next week. A Met office yellow warning is in place for many parts of the UK, as we expect to see sleet, rain and snow.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), that has worked for more than 100 years to help people recognise and reduce their risk of accidents, at home, on the road, at work and in leisure, say that poor visibility, water-logged roads and slippery snow can all heighten the risk of a tragic car crash.
Advising on how to keep safe during the upcoming wintery snap, RoSPA says at this time of year, adapting our driving style is key.
Becky Guy, Road Safety Manager at RoSPA, said: “Adverse weather conditions and longer, darker evenings make winter a particularly hazardous time to drive, and as we expect to see next week, short bursts of extreme weather are not uncommon here in the UK.
“These wintry conditions can decrease visibility, increase stopping distances and the risk of skidding, which can all increase the risk of being involved in a crash. If you can, avoid driving in such weather, and if you are expected to drive for work, do ask your employer about whether it has a winter driving policy.
“Things to check before you set off include that all of your lights are working and clean, your tyres are inflated correctly and have at least 3mm of tread, you have enough fuel or charge in the car for unforeseen events and a way of contacting someone in an emergency. Finally, if in doubt and you are able to, postpone your trip until conditions improve.”
Keeping safe in sleet, hail and snow
To help keep drivers safe, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has shared its top winter driving tips to help keep drivers and riders safe.
Before your journey
Plan your journey, checking the traffic news and allowing extra time
If it has been snowing, be sure to remove snow from the top of your car so that it does not slide down and obstruct your view when driving
Check fuel or charge levels before you set off to allow for unexpected delays
If you drive an automatic car, check the handbook to see if there’s a winter driving mode setting
Assess whether your journey is essential, and speak to your employer about whether they have a winter driving policy
Driving on winter roads
Pull off in second gear, going gently on the clutch to avoid wheel-spin
Leave plenty of room between you and other road users, applying your brakes gradually and in good time
When driving uphill, check the road is clear and try to avoid stopping part way up to prevent you from rolling backwards
When driving downhill, keep it slow and use a low gear
Remember that braking distance can increase up to double in wet weather and by 10 times in icy weather
This Road Safety Week it’s revealed Edinburgh has some of the worst roads in the UK
This Road Safety Week, data from consumer law company, Slater and Gordon, highlights the most damaged roads in the UK.
Slater and Gordon surveyed 1,444 road users across the UK and asked them to rate how damaged the roads were in their local area.
Cardiff has been revealed as the city with the worst roads in the UK with 65.4% of people saying their roads are “bad” or “terrible” with Plymouth coming out as having the best roads in the UK. The full list of cities ranked on how many people described their roads as “bad” or “awful” is:
· Cardiff 65.4%
· Sheffield, 62.2%
· Bristol, 54.2%
· Glasgow, 52.2%
· Edinburgh, 50.9%
· Norwich, 50%
· Manchester, 49.6%
· Belfast, 47.9%
· Liverpool, 47.7%
· London, 47.3%
· Brighton, 47.1%
· Birmingham, 45.3%
· Nottingham, 43.2%
· Southampton, 42.6%
· Leeds, 39.3%
· Newcastle, 37.1%
· Plymouth, 30.3%
In fact, only 3.6% of people in Edinburgh would describe the condition of their roads as “excellent”. 47% of people in the city said they felt more could be done to ensure that any damage to the road that isn’t immediately fixed is communicated to road users and 33% admit that they feel roads in Edinburgh are more dangerous due to problems being ignored by local authorities.
35% of road users in Edinburgh have sustained damage to their car due to potholes whilst only 68% reported the damage so it wouldn’t happen to anyone else.
Nicholas Hagi-Savva, senior associate at Slater and Gordon, said: “Even if you follow all the rules of the road, there may be external factors, such as ice or potholes which can both increase your chances of having a collision. This is of increasing importance as road conditions worsen approaching winter.
“This Road Safety Week, we want to instil in people how important it is to protect not only themselves, but other and potentially more vulnerable road users. Accidents will, of course, always happen but by raising awareness of the data this Road Safety Week, we really hope that people are more aware of their surroundings and our roads are made as safe as possible.”
A mum whose daughter fell into a scalding bath when she was just three-years-old has urged other parents to be aware of the dangers of burns.
Little Courtney, now seven, spent years battling back to full health after she suffered devastating burns to more than a quarter of her body.
The schoolgirl, from Kirkcaldy, had to undergo numerous painful procedures and physiotherapy at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) in Edinburgh following the accident.
Now on “Burns Awareness Day” (12th October), her mum, Chloe Abrahams, is warning other parents to be aware of potential burns hazards around the home.
Chloe said: “I would never have thought that tap water could burn so badly.
“The pain Courtney went through just from lifting her into a different position on the hospital bed still breaks my heart when I think about it. Seeing my daughter in that state was the worst thing I’ve ever been through.”
Courtney’s accident happened in 2018. She was reaching for a toy when she tumbled into a bath that was filling with scalding water.
Chloe said: “We heard horrendous screams and found that Courtney had fallen into a scalding hot bath. I quickly scooped her out of the bath, stripped her clothes off and wrapped her in a wet towel.She was covered in massive bulging blisters and we rushed her to hospital. But at this point, I didn’t realise how much damage had already been done.”
Courtney was immediately transferred to the high dependency unit in the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) where she was sent to theatre every few days to get her burns scrubbed and redressed to prevent any infections.
Her little thighs and feet received the worst damage as her socks and pants had held the scalding water close to her skin.
After being released from hospital, Courtney’s feet had to stay bandaged for over a month, meaning that she was struggling to walk for up to two months.
She received regular physiotherapy alongside numerous other appointments for over a year to aid her recovery and to help with the inevitable scarring.
Chloe added: “I honestly can’t thank all the amazing doctors and nurses at the RHCYP enough. Courtney is now seven and is doing great. She has lots of scars but she doesn’t let them define her.
“I would like other families to know that you can turn the water temperature down on your boiler. If we had known that – things might have been different for us.”
According to the Burns and Plastics Clinic at the RHCYP, burns are the most common household injury with over 7,000 children suffering serious burns or scalds in the UK in 2021.
As Halloween and bonfire night approaches Rosie Bainsfair, Burns & Plastics Nurse Specialist at the RHCYP, said: “Many of the children we see at the RHCYP in Edinburgh are injured in accidents around the house, involving very common things like hot drinks, irons or hair straighteners.
“If your child has a burn or scald, follow this simple ‘STOP’ first aid advice:
“Strip clothes, jewellery or nappies off (unless they are stuck to the skin).
“Turn on a cold tap or shower and run the burn under cool water for 20 minutes whilst keeping the child warm. Do not use ice.
“Organise medical assistance – attend A and E or dial 999.
“Protect the burn with cling film, provide painkillers and keep the child warm.”
To find out more about how you can prevent burns from happening at home, please visit the Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents website here.
Fall prevention has been identified as the number one priority by the leading health and safety charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). And RoSPA is now calling on businesses, business leaders and the health and safety community to use the skills they have developed in fall prevention in workplaces, to educate their employees to help prevent falls in the home.
Shockingly, annual deaths due to falls, including falls on stairs, have nearly doubled in England from 3,667 deaths in 1990 to 7,274 in 2019. Falls cause untold misery and pain to thousands of people every year, from physical injuries and death, long-term health effects and disabilities, loss of mobility, loneliness, social isolation and loss of independence
. They also impact massively on society, costing the NHS and wider healthcare systems over £4billion every year. But RoSPA believes businesses and organisations can mobilise their people to help drive these numbers down.
The Falls Charity Appeal has two major aims. Firstly, RoSPA is urging organisations to deliver the charity’s free, twenty-minute Fall Fighter awareness sessions to their staff. These online sessions have been specifically designed to equip people with the knowledge and skills to recognise the potential risks and how to stop falls from happening.
Additionally, the sessions provide people with a better understanding of how to help limit the harm from a fall.
Secondly, RoSPA is asking for donations to be made to its appeal, which will fund the delivery of strength and balance programmes for people in later life, to enable them to lead active, independent lives for longer. Falls are the largest cause of accidental death among over-65s in the UK and these programmes have been shown to reduce the rate of falls by up to 30 per cent.
https://youtu.be/ZTDI8QmQXa4
Errol Taylor, RoSPA’s Chief Executive, said: “At RoSPA we know that businesses are experts in preventing falls in workplaces, but we want to translate these skills to tackle falls that are happening in homes, which are a forgotten killer.
“We believe that if every employee was made aware how falls can be prevented we could, together, achieve a huge reduction in the numbers of those killed and injured. This is why we have developed our innovative free Fall Fighter resource.
“By rolling-out our online sessions, businesses will be taking a leading role in addressing one of the biggest health and safety issues we face.
“There is so much that we can all do to stop falls from happening. A free Fall Fighter awareness session takes just twenty minutes to complete but could change the lives of loved ones forever.
“But we’re not stopping there, we want to deliver a programme of strength and balance programmes that will mean more people in later life can lead active, independent lives for longer. These programmes have been shown to reduce the rate of falls by a massive 30 per cent. And by making a donation we can start this incredibly important work.
“By joining together, we can be a powerful and positive force for good. I therefore encourage all businesses and organisations, no matter their size, to adopt and roll-out our Fall Fighter training and donate to our appeal – together we have the potential to save lives.”
In support of the Fall Fighter scheme, early adopter Sarah Riesner, Business Lead – Strategy, Risk & Governance, Severn and Trent, said: “We’re proud to adopt this free scheme, and encourage our 7,500 employees to become RoSPA Fall Fighters.”
And Barry Oliver, Group Executive for Health & Safety, from national house builder Berkeley Group, added: “The Fall Fighter scheme fits well with our strategic focus. Adding it to our own Learning Management System makes the roll-out simple.”
New report by leading accident prevention charity, RoSPA, and safety-focused e-scooter operator Neuron Mobility, evaluates UK e-scooter incident rates in comparison to other forms of transport including bicycles and motorcycles
Data showed that e-scooter collision rates were significantly lower with only 0.66 per million miles travelled, in comparison bicycles were five times more likely to be involved in a collision and motorcycle collisions were nine times higher
The majority (94 percent) of e-scooter incidents reported took place in local authorities where there were no e-scooter rental schemes running.
Although private e-scooters are outlawed, over 50 towns and cities have been granted permission to run trials for shared e-scooters approved by the DfT, which are subject to a range of safety requirements including geofencing control and insurance
A new study into the safety of e-scooters, published by The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), has found that e-scooters are significantly less risky than many other forms of transport on Britain’s roads.
The report recorded an incident rate of 0.66 collisions for every million miles travelled on an e-scooter – five times lower than bicycles with 3.33 collisions per million miles travelled and nine times lower than the figure of 5.88 for motorcycles.
The study was carried out by the UK’s leading accident prevention charity RoSPA, with technical assistance from safety-focused e-scooter operator Neuron Mobility. It assessed the scale and nature of injury risk associated with e-scooters in comparison to other modes of transport. It covers data gathered by the Department for Transport (DfT) and provided by Neuron for the 2020 period.
With the numbers of e-scooters in the UK increasing sharply since 2020, both as part of the Government’s ongoing trials and often illegal use of private e-scooters, there is a pressing requirement for further research into how the safety of these devices shapes up against other vehicles.
In fact, of the incidents that did occur on e-scooters, figures showed that the overwhelming majority of them (94 per cent) took place in local authority areas that were not operating an e-scooter trial as opposed to areas with shared e-scooters available, further highlighting that so far, the UK’s shared e-scooter trials have proven to be remarkably safe.
Shared e-scooter schemes tend to feature a range of safety innovations and stricter rules and regulations when compared to privately owned e-scooters which are currently illegal for use on public land. For example, Neuron’s rental e-scooters, which have been approved by the DfT, are fitted with GPS and geofencing which controls where they can be ridden and parked and their speed in different areas.
With this technology, Neuron is able to set riding area boundaries, slow-zones, no-parking zones, and no-ride zones. Every trip is logged and all e-scooters have insurance, integrated safety helmets, identification plates, topple detection, and with daily safety checks and regular servicing, they are widely regarded as a safer option than private e-scooters.
Almost all incidents analysed as part of the study were confirmed to have taken place on the roads (94 per cent), mostly on unsegregated single carriageways. The vast majority involved a collision between an e-scooter and a larger powered vehicle like a car, truck or lorry, highlighting the need for improved infrastructure and protection for riders.
The data also shone light onto the types of riders involved and the time of day incidents were most likely to take place, with the majority of collisions happening during daylight hours, between 2pm and 7pm, with peaks at 3pm and 6pm. Men (77 per cent) were far more likely to be involved than women.
Based on these findings, the report makes a set of recommendations to improve the safety of e-scooters further, including:
Given the rate of crashes that take place on single carriageways, further investment in road design improvements, including segregated bike and e-scooter lanes, would be beneficial.
Safety standards should be applied to improve the visibility of e-scooters on the road, including those that relate to indication, lighting and braking.
Providing mandatory training on the Highway Code and the practical operation of e-scooters would be beneficial for all users.
Awareness and training on e-scooter behaviour for other road users, in particular car drivers, would be beneficial.
e-scooter users should be encouraged to wear helmets when riding
Nathan Davies, Executive Head of Policy and Portfolio at RoSPAsaid: “e-scooters are clearly set to be a long-term feature of our transport mix and it’s of pressing importance that we understand their impact on road safety and how they can be made safe for everyone to use.
“This report shows that e-scooters compare favourably to other kinds of vehicles and do not represent any greater safety risk to other road users and pedestrians. However, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure they are integrated on our highways and make sure both e-scooter riders and cyclists are offered greater protections from motor vehicles, which were the source of the vast majority of incidents.
“RentaleE-scooter operators, like Neuron, taking part in the Department for Transport’s trial schemes have demonstrated a strong commitment to safety and rider education. However, we need to see these initiatives filter across to private sale models, where the majority of incidents occur, to ensure any wider rollout is done with safety as a priority.”
George Symes, UK Regional Manager at Neuron Mobility said: “As a relatively new mode of transport there is often a misperception that e-scooters present a greater risk than some other forms of transport, but the data shows this simply isn’t true.
“We welcome RoSPA’s report which shows that e-scooters – particularly rental e-scooters – compare very favourably to bikes and motorcycles when it comes to the number of incidents.
“Neuron’s number one focus is safety. We evaluate every incident that takes place in our cities to assess how we can reduce the risk of it happening again. Across the UK we have implemented a range of initiatives to make our operations safer, including an online safety course developed with RoSPA, regular ScootSafe events in city centres and universities and incentives for helmet use and safe parking.
“We know that with the right investment in technology, education and infrastructure, e-scooters can be made even safer and more accessible.“
National charity and leader in lifesaving and lifeguarding training across the UK and Ireland, the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), is urging people to get summer ready by brushing up on their water safety skills and knowledge.
With over 400 people dying each year in the UK and Ireland from accidental drowning, it’s clear that it’s a topic that needs more attention.
Lee Heard, Charity Director at RLSS UK said: “With June, July, and August proving to be the months with the most fatalities, it is vitally important that everyone has an understanding of water safety, especially during the summer months.
“We have seen a rise in the number of drownings over the last few years, with peaks during the summer. In July 2021, there were 49 accidental drowning fatalities in the space of just two weeks in the UK, and we know that with the right water safety knowledge, accidental drownings are avoidable.
“We want to ensure that everyone can enjoy their summer break and enjoy being in or around water but be safe in the knowledge that they, and their children, have the skills and understanding about water safety, which could potentially save a life. Every life is worth saving.”
Drowning is not just a topic that needs attention for those who take part in water-based activities either, evidence shows that one in two people who accidentally drown never intended to enter the water and in 2020 evidence from the National Water Safety Forum showed that 45% of accidental drownings took place when people were taking part in everyday activities.
The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) has a range of free educational resources available on their website for children, young people and parents and are holding their annual Drowning Prevention Week campaign in June.
The campaign will take place between 18th-25th June and aims to equip everyone across the UK and Ireland with the skills and knowledge to make the right decisions about water safety.
Lee Heard continued: “This year for Drowning Prevention Week we are aiming to educate more young people than ever about water safety and give children the skills to enjoy a lifetime of fun in the water.
“We have a range of free educational resources available on the RLSS UK website, including lesson plans for schools and resources for parents.
“In a recent survey, over 55% of parents said they would not be confident their child would know what to do if they fell into open water; this is something we want to change.
“Drowning Prevention Week brings the focus of water safety to people’s minds, giving everyone the opportunity to be equipped with the appropriate skills and knowledge to be summer ready when it comes to being safe in and around water when the warmer weather is here.”
With many families opting for staycations and heading to the coastlines and waterways for holidays in recent times, having an understanding of what to do if you find yourself or someone else in trouble in the water is more important than ever.
Lee Heard added: “If you or someone else finds themselves in difficulty in the water, it’s vital to remember the Water Safety Code:
whenever you are around water you should stop and think to assess your surroundings and look for any dangers;
stay together when around water and always go with family and friends;
in an emergency call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue service when inland and the Coastguard if at the coast;
and finally float to live, if you fall in or become tired, stay calm, float on your back and call for help, or if you see someone in the water, throw something that floats to them and resist temptation to go in.”
Drowning Prevention Week takes place 18th – 25th June and free resources can be downloaded from www.rlss.org.uk.
Avoid Festive Season Accidents – Choose the Right Ladder for the Task
Don’t let your eagerness to get the Christmas decorations up cause an unwelcome trip to A & E with the potential to ruin your festive season.
Every year, hospital A and E departments across the country report a rise in the number of admissions during December after falling from steps ladders or trees. During 2019 – 2020, over 51,000 people went to hospital following a fall from steps, ladders, or trees.
Whilst not all of these will have been Christmas related, we know that putting up lights and decorations indoors and outdoors can be dangerous if you don’t use the right equipment when working at height and follow basic safety procedures.
Here’s their five golden rules for safe ladder use:
To use a ladder, you need to be physically able and have a good understanding of how to use it safely. You should avoid climbing a ladder if you’ve undergone a recent injury.
Before you climb your ladder, you need to check if it’s safe to use it for the job you have planned. Where possible always have another person with you when using a ladder.
Check the weather and the terrain. If you’re working outside, uneven, sloping, soft terrain requires equipment fit for purpose and poor weather can increase your fall risk. Avoid using ladders if it is windy, rainy, or damp.
Check the condition of the ladder, and do not use damaged equipment.
Always follow the instructions – they are there for your safety and vary by product and by application.
Henchman tripod ladders and High Step safety platforms are specially designed for safe working at height providing a stable footing on uneven ground for jobs ranging from domestic hedge trimming to a four-metre topiary sculpture – and putting up Christmas decorations!
Said Henchman managing director Tom Kitching: “Nobody ever thinks it will happen to them. How often have we heard people saying, ‘It’s OK I’ve done this loads of times – I know what I am doing’ as they balance precariously up a ladder or steps?
“The sad fact is that it can and does happen. Stretch out that little bit too far on an indoor step ladder or lean a ladder against a tree or bush outside that suddenly gives way, and you will fall, risking serious injury or even death.
“Following basic rules and investing in the right ladder for the job could save your life.”
The UK designed, and distributed Henchman lightweight aluminium ladders and High Step platforms are available in a wide range of sizes with prices starting at £249 including VAT and free delivery to UK mainland addresses.
For more details on the Henchman range of ladders and see safety videos visit:
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and RSA Insurance Group have launched the ground-breaking Fall Fighter initiative with the aim of tackling the UK’s biggest forgotten killer – falls in the home.
Falls are the single biggest cause of accidental injuries in the home and the largest cause of death among over-65s in the UK. Every year more than a third of people over the age of 65 (and half of those over 80) have a fall that requires hospital treatment, costing the NHS and wider healthcare system more than £2.3billion every year.
As well as having a huge impact on society at large, falls can also have a devastating effect on individual lives; from physical injuries, long-term health effects and disabilities to trauma and poor mental health, loss of mobility, loneliness, social isolation and loss of independence.
Despite this, making simple and low-cost changes can prevent falls from happening. The new Fall Fighter movement is designed to educate and empower people of all ages, transforming each of them into a “Fall Fighter” who can then help family, friends and others in their communities.
RoSPA and RSA will be providing short free awareness sessions and resources to give every Fall Fighter information and advice on how to reduce falls.
This could include, for instance, discussing what medication your friend, relative or loved one is currently prescribed and whether it needs to be reviewed, finding out whether they need an eye test, doing a home safety check and looking at what cheap and straightforward changes around the house could improve safety.
The resources will also contain guidance on what to do if someone has a fall – both in the short and longer-term, plus a digital toolkit to help each Fall Fighter inspire others.
RoSPA’s Relationships Director, Becky Hickman, said:“It takes just 20 minutes to become a Fall Fighter, but by doing so you have the power to change, and even save the lives of loved ones, friends and family.
“This simple but hugely effective project is free and open to all and we would encourage individuals or organisations to get involved.”
“This Fall Fighter community will now build, and in doing so, inspire others to prevent thousands of falls every year. By joining together, we can be a powerful and positive force for good.”
RSA’s Head of Social Impact and ESG, Laura Spiers, said: “Our partnership with RoSPA forms part of a wider programme to support our customers and communities, by increasing awareness to help them manage the risks they face every day.
“Preventing falls amongst loved ones in the home is an issue that’s often overlooked, but taking simple actions can minimise the devastating impact they have on people and their families. By harnessing RSA’s relationships, and encouraging people from every community to get involved in the Fall Fighter campaign and help those around them, I’m very hopeful that we can make a real difference across the country.”
Members of Water Safety Scotland have welcomed the first World Drowning Prevention Day which will be held annually on July 25, following and follows the passing of a Global Resolution on Drowning Prevention by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in April 2021.
The Scottish Government has praised the new water safety initiative. Ash Denham MSP, the Minister for Community Safety, said:“World Drowning Prevention Day is an important opportunity to raise awareness about water safety issues and I would like to thank Water Safety Scotland and RoSPA for their continued dedication and hard work.
“The risk of drowning is often overlooked and it is important that people are aware of the dangers so they can enjoy Scotland’s beautiful inland and coastal waters safely and responsibly.”
The historic UN resolution invites member states to take action to prevent drowning fatalities in line with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2014 recommendation report and subsequent guidance.
Recent estimates from WHO show that globally, approximately 236,000 people drown every year and that drowning is among the ten leading causes of death for children and young people aged 1–24-years.
Data from the Water Incident Database (WAID) shows that in Scotland, on average there are 97 water-related fatalities each year. The most recent statistics from 2020 revealed that there were 99 water-related fatalities with 39 due to accidental drowning.*
WHO has coordinated preparations for World Drowning Prevention Day and has invited stakeholders across the world to mark the occasion. Water Safety Scotland fully supports the UN Global Resolution and World Drowning Prevention Day**
Michael Avril, Chair of Water Safety Scotland, said:“Water Safety Scotland is proud to support World Drowning Prevention Day and is looking forward to continuing to work with partners in Scotland to prevent future drowning tragedies.
“Scotland carries a disproportionate burden; the accidental drowning rate is almost double the UK’s average when the relative population is taken into account.
“We want people to enjoy Scotland’s waterways in as safe away as possible and recommend that people follow Scotland’s Water Safety Code in order to help themselves and others stay safe around water.
Organisations across Scotland will be participating in a social media campaign highlighting their support for the day and for Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy.
Scottish Canals are supporting WHO’s suggestions of “Going Blue for World Drowning Prevention Day”.
The Kelpies, 30-metre-high horse-head sculptures in Falkirk, will be lit up blue on the evening of the July 25 to mark the occasion and show their support as members of Water Safety Scotland and for World Drowning Prevention Day.
Richard Millar, Scottish Canals’ Chief Operating Officer, said:“Scotland’s canals are vibrant green and blue spaces for all to enjoy and connect with nature, whether you are taking to the towpaths by boot or bike, or enjoying the canal by boat or paddle sport.
“It is important that no matter how you choose to enjoy the waterways, that all users are aware of the dangers that canals, reservoirs, and any body of open water can pose. Scottish Canals is proud to be supporting World Drowning Prevention Day and will continue to champion safety messaging from partners and our own #CanalCareful safety campaign to ensure canal users are equipped with the knowledge to keep themselves and others safe.”
Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy is currently in its fourth year, with a review set to be published next spring along with a water safety conference that will be organised in conjunction with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
Road policing officers would like to remind road users, parents and members of the public the importance of ensuring children are supervised and kept safe near our roads.
There have been several collisions across Scotland in recent weeks, resulting in a number of children being taken to hospital having sustained serious injuries.
Around 6.45pm on Wednesday, 7 July, 2021, a two-year-old child ran onto the road between parked cars on Woodland Crescent in Cambuslang and was struck by a car. She was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital with serious injuries.
On Tuesday, 29 June, a five-year-old boy was taken to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh with serious leg injuries after being struck by a car on the A198 towards Tranent High Street.
A four-year-old child sustained serious leg injuries and was taken to Victoria Hospital for treatment after being struck by a car on Broad Street in Cowdenbeath on Monday, 14 June.
On Wednesday, 9 June, a nine-year-old girl was taken to University Hospital Wishaw for treatment after being struck by a car on Hareleeshill Road in Larkhall.
Chief Inspector Mark Patterson, of Police Scotland’s Road Policing Department, said: “Unfortunately there has been a number of collisions involving children recently, which has resulted in serious injuries.
“Children are some of our most vulnerable road users and their safety is paramount, I would ask all parents and guardians to ensure all children are supervised at all times when near the road, and urge motorists to remain vigilant for child pedestrians, especially in built up areas.
“Police Scotland is committed to improving safety on our roads across the country and we continue to work closely with partners on all aspects of road safety.”
