Thousands of north-east school children have been given reflective keyrings to help keep them safe as they walk home on dark winter afternoons.
Aberdeenshire Council’s community safety groups have funded various schemes to cut down on accidents, and as part of their winter safety project have issued the keyrings to dozens of schools across the region.
The high-visibility keyrings can be clipped onto school bags or coats, and will help the youngsters be seen more easily by cars and other road users while travelling to and from school.
Councillor Ron McKail, chairman of the Garioch and North Marr community safety group, 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.
“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.”
In Buchan, the community safety group recently funded and produced banners reminding motorists that it is illegal and dangerous to park on zigzag lines outside schools.
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.