Road users urged to take care as four die in crashes

FOUR people have been killed in three separate road crashes across Scotland.

• Two men died in a head-on smash on the A83 near Cairndow

• An elderly man was killed in Ayr when his car left the road

• Police were called to a road accident involving a car and heavy goods vehicle on the A916 near Craigrothie

Two men died in a head-on smash on the A83 near Cairndow, Argyll, which happened at about 4.30pm yesterday.

The pair, aged 20 and 24, were passengers in a southbound Peugeot van which collided with a lorry travelling north.

Crews from Strathclyde Fire and Rescue used hydraulic cutting tools in a bid to rescue the men, but they died at the scene.

The 63-year-old van driver was freed by firefighters and taken to to Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

The lorry driver, 24, was not hurt.

An off-duty firefighter raised the alarm after spotting the incident while travelling with his family. He tried to assist the casualties as crews were rushed to the scene.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dumbarton police office on 01389 822000.

Meanwhile, an elderly man was killed in Ayr when his car left the road and hit a lamppost.

The 89-year-old was driving his Ford Fusion southbound on Racecourse Road when the crash happened at about 9.30am yesterday.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, Strathclyde Police said.

The force has appealed for anyone with information to contact the road policing unit in Irvine on 01294 404400.

In Fife, police said they were called to a road accident involving a car and a heavy goods vehicle on the A916 near Craigrothie, where one person has died and another is injured.

The crash happened at about 11.10am today.

Officers from Fife Constabulary’s road policing unit are in attendance and the road is expected to be closed for some time.

The force said weather conditions in the area are very poor.

Strathclyde Fire an Rescue urged road users to take extra care in hazardous conditions after snow hit the central belt and northern parts of the country today.

A spokesman said: “While we cannot comment on individual incidents, injuries and deaths are always a stark reminder of the need for everyone to take care on the roads.

“That message is even more poignant in the aftermath of a fatal collision and becomes apparent when conditions are hazardous.

“When driving in snow and ice, your stopping distance can be as much as 10 times greater.”