Introduction

Thousands of Aberdeenshire school children will be more visible to traffic during the dark winter days as they travel to and from school thanks their new reflective key-rings.

In a bid to reduce accidents,the Aberdeenshire Community Safety Groups (CSGs) have funded various schemes as part of their Winter Safety Projects.

In Garioch and North Marr, 1,000 reflective key-rings have been distributed to primary school pupils in over 25 schools.

The key-rings, which pupils can clip onto their school bags or coats, will help them to be seen more easily by cars and other road users when travelling to and from school.

One of the schools involved in the scheme is Dunecht Primary School, near Westhill, where all Primary One pupils were issued with the key-rings.

Head teacher, Oliver McMillian, said:

"Our pupils were very excited to receive their reflector key-rings.

"As part of the Winter Safety Project, they have been discussing the risks of travel during the shorter winter days and increased their awareness of how to keep themselves safe as they travel to and from school."

Chairman of the Garioch and North Marr Community Safety Group, Cllr Ron McKail, said:

"The safety of our school children is a high priority for Aberdeenshire Council's Community Safety Groups and also for school head teachers and staff.

"Children walking to and from school wearing dark, non-reflective clothing are often invisible to cars and other road users.

"The Garioch and North Marr Community Safety Group's main aim with the Winter Safety Project is to ensure that these young pupils can be seen in the dark.

"Our advice to parents is that they take an active role in their child's safety by educating their son or daughter on how to keep safe when crossing roads, reinforcing the importance of the Green Cross Code and ensuring their child is wearing reflective items so motorists can see them on the road."

Similar road safety initiatives have been undertaken by CSGs across Aberdeenshire.

In Kincardine and Mearns, the local CSG also distributed reflector key-rings to primary school pupils, as did the Banff and District CSG.

In Buchan, the CSG recently funded and produced 'park smart' banners for display outside schools to warn motorists that parking on zigzag lines is illegal and dangerous.

The banners were distributed to all 13 primary schools in the area as well as Peterhead Academy.

Leaflets were also handed out to local public services encouraging people to report dangerous driving or illegal parking.