Remember that a car is a lethal weapon in the wrong hands

Iain Gregory, a member of Forss Campaign Group and co-founder of Caithness Roads Recovery, gives a stark insight into the reality of traffic collisions and their sometimes tragic aftermath while also offering tips on safer driving. Mr Gregory served for more than 30 years as a police officer, retiring as an area commander

Let me start by saying this: there is no such thing as a road "accident". There are "incidents" and there are "collisions" but there are no "accidents". All crashes are avoidable.

As a very young PC in the Highlands, I attended many tragic incidents, and on one occasion very nearly became a statistic myself. In 1975, I was driving a (brand new) Hillman Hunter patrol car and was negotiating a blind bend when I encountered another car overtaking on the corner. We had a virtually "head-on" collision, and I sustained very serious injuries, only escaping with my life because (unfashionably in those days) I had my seatbelt on and, in the split second available, I managed to swerve a few inches to the left before impact. I was trapped in the wreckage and spent a long time recovering. Some of the injuries still trouble me to this day.

I was also – regularly – delegated the task of informing families that a loved one had been killed. There is no more solemn duty, and there is no training that can possibly prepare a young officer for such a task. I am not at all ashamed to admit that I grieved with people. And I resolved then that if I could do anything during my career to prevent others suffering in this way then I would. And that includes the police officers, firefighters, ambulance crews and medics who have to attend to the aftermath.

People sometimes think that a police officer, a firefighter or a medical professional is somehow "armoured" against tragedy. Please rest assured that they are no such thing. You must – must – act professionally and do what must be done, but to this day, try as I might to lock away the nightmares, they appear from time to time. There is always at least one incident that lives with you permanently. How much worse must it be for someone who has survived, but the loved one in the car with them has not?

Detailed records started to be kept in Scotland in 1950. In that year, there were 529 deaths on Scottish roads. By 1970 the figure had risen to an appalling 815. Since then there has been a gradual decline, with 166 people dying in 2019. In 2020 the figure had fallen again to 141 – but remember we had a lockdown for much of 2020, with much-reduced roads usage. This may be a relevant factor, with serious injuries also falling from 7745 to 5040. Statistics aside, each and every death is a tragedy for those involved, and we must do all we can to save lives.

There are a number of factors that impact on the reduction in fatalities and serious injuries.

I think that vehicle design plays a huge part – compulsory seatbelt-wearing being a major contributor – with the addition of seatbelt pre-tensioners, airbags, crumple zones, better-designed seats and head restraints, better-protected fuel tanks, safer steering wheels and collapsible steering columns all playing a part. We have bonnets and bumpers today that are intended to mitigate – as far as possible – injury to pedestrians, and the introduction of laminated glass has massively reduced the incidence of the dreadful facial injuries which we used to see so very often. Side-impact protection has also increased greatly, and in a "T-bone" collision that can make the difference between life and death.

To this day, try as I might to lock away the nightmares, they appear from time to time.

Babies and children are much, much safer than they were a generation or two ago – I cannot stress strongly enough how utterly vital it is to make sure that baby is in an approved seat and properly strapped in, and that older children are also in the approved restraints.

I cannot of course mention any specific cases, but I can tell you that I have seen crash scenes where vehicles were so severely damaged that one would think nobody could possibly survive, and yet a car seat, costing a comparatively small sum, has saved a little one's life. Can you think of a better investment?

Safe driving plays a huge part as well. Driver education is vital, and we all need to remember that a car is a lethal weapon in the wrong hands. I say this as a person who is a very, very keen driver, but believe me you will enjoy driving even more if you get your skill levels up. Concentrate, get your observations out, learn how to position the vehicle for each and every corner, use "defensive driving" techniques, treat each journey the way a pilot treats each flight: check round the car, position your seat, your mirrors, your controls, get the seatbelt on and make sure your passengers do the same, check your mirrors, check over your shoulder and then, and only then, move off. It isn't about "crawling along" (that can be dangerous too). Drive positively and alertly, "read the road", plan for each corner and for each hazard. Form a "driving plan" and always – always – expect the unexpected.

Speed in itself is of course a factor – if a child is struck by a car at 40 mph, the result will be catastrophic. At 30 mph there is still every probability of tragedy, but at 20 mph there is a much better chance that the child will be running around playing with their friends a few weeks later. Just how urgent is it to get to the supermarket five minutes earlier?

And as for those who "tailgate" – which is all too common – they are quite simply among the most selfish and thoughtless drivers on the road. We have all experienced this. Just what is the hurry? And do they have the slightest notion of reaction times and the distance a vehicle will travel in the 0.7 of a second to 1.0 second it will take them to get their foot on the brake pedal when the preceding car has to brake? People are killed every year because of this practice.

Mobile phone usage while driving is also an act of utter selfishness. I regularly see people driving along with the phone clamped to their ear, chattering inanely. Is the call so important that they are prepared to kill a child? And they need to remember: if they do kill someone while using the phone, they are going to prison... Still think that call about the shopping or the meeting is quite so important?

Road design, road condition and roadside "furniture" are also significant factors. A well-built, well-designed and well-maintained road is infinitely safer than many of the roads we have to contend with today. Potholed, uneven surfaces are downright dangerous. The lack of white-lining at junctions is potentially lethal, and loose gravel is a killer for bikers.

You might have seen some road signs that appear to be constructed of a latticework of metal. These are designed to collapse on impact, and they are of great value in mitigating the effects of a crash. Similarly, new roads are built with a minimum of roadside furniture – the effects of hitting a telegraph pole or lamppost are very often disastrous, so roads engineers design these factors out.

The Scottish Government has a plan called Scotland's Road Safety Framework to 2030. The aim is to halve the number of people killed or seriously injured on Scotland's roads by 2030, with a long-term plan to reach zero fatalities and injuries by 2050. Can this be achieved? Well, I think that the 2030 target can be achieved, and I am all for the strategy. As to "zero fatalities and injuries by 2050", I think an awful lot will depend on the advancements in technology and a continued political will.

Sadly, there will always be the situation where somebody simply ignores all the rules – perhaps driving while drunk or drugged – or the pedestrian who steps out without looking, but I am certainly not going to argue with the good intentions here.

All of us are road users in one way or another: pedestrians, cyclists, bikers, motorists, delivery van drivers, bus passengers, HGV drivers, supermarket customers whose goods are delivered by road. And all of us can make a mistake. Mistakes are human. But deliberate acts can be avoided.

Please stop and think. Remember that every life is precious – including your own.

• Iain Gregory joined Ross and Sutherland Constabulary in 1972. Ross and Sutherland became part of Northern Constabulary on reorganisation in 1975. He served for over 30 years, retiring in 2003. During his service he dealt with every aspect of police work but also acquired specialist skills, knowledge and qualifications in road traffic policing. "Sadly, he says, "I investigated far too many fatal and potentially fatal road traffic collisions."

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