Safety drive aims to put brakes on the 'amber gamblers'

DRIVERS in the Capital running red lights are being targeted in a new crackdown as figures reveal thousands have been hit with fines and penalty points on their licences.

More than 4000 drivers were caught by cameras last year in Edinburgh alone, the majority receiving both 60 penalties and three points on their licence.

In one incident a driver was taken to court, eventually receiving a fine and penalty points, after narrowly avoiding a pedestrian when running a red light on Gorgie Road.

News of the figures came as it emerged that 19 people had been killed or seriously injured at traffic junctions in the Capital between 2007 and 2009.

Now a new campaign has been launched in a bid to educate drivers about the dangers of being an "amber gambler", those motorists who chance the lights in the seconds before they turn red.

Victoria Edmond, a spokeswoman for the Lothian and Borders Safety Camera Partnership, said the number of drivers ignoring the law was falling, but continuing to cause concern.

She said: "The amount of motorists being detected for running red lights is reducing year on year, but unfortunately collisions will continue at junctions until motorists comply with the traffic light signals.

"It's always a concern when a driver runs a red light or exceeds the speed limit. They are putting themselves, their passengers, pedestrians and other road users at risk.

"When a vehicle runs a red light it is effectively 'collision time', even in a modern car a side-impact crash can result in serous injuries. I would urge all motorists to stop at the traffic lights when the amber light is on."

According to official figures, 137 people were injured at traffic junctions in the city between 2007 and 2009. Now a billboard campaign and a series of radio adverts are being used to remind drivers of the dangers of being an "amber gambler".

All traffic lights operate to set timings and amber is on for three seconds before the light changes to red.

Caroline Perry, a spokeswoman for road safety charity Brake, said: "Drivers who run a red light are not only breaking the law, but show a wilful disregard for the lives of other road users, and this campaign is a positive step from police to get these drivers to change their behaviour.

"Every death on our roads rips a family apart and Brake is urging drivers to think about the consequences and commit to keeping themselves and others safe on the road."