After The Carnage

Mar 25 2007 By Grace Macaskill

Laying bare the traumatic aftermath of just one of the accidents taking young lives on Scotland's roads

One young person dies on our roads every day.

Ruaraidh Potts, 18,joined that tragic toll on December 3, 2003 after dying in a crashyards from his home in Drumnadrochit, Invernessshire.

His friend Alexander MacDonald-Haig gave him a lift home from a party but wasthree times over the limit. He lost control of his Land Rover whichleft the road and rolled onto its roof. MacDonald-Haig was jailed forcausing the crash. Released last year, he now lives in Australia.

Aspart of our Stop The Carnage campaign, reporter GRACE MACASKILL piecestogether the aftermath of the crash in moving interviews with peopledirectly involved. They spoke out in a bid to stop more young livesbeing lost on our roads.

We want the Executive to extend the Pass Pluscampaign to the whole of Scotland. Young drivers can take the s150course for s15 in a pilot scheme in the north-east.I am not living ..just existing

THE VICTIM'S MUM

RUARAIDH'S mother, bank worker Janice Potts, 54, said: "He was our only son andhis loss has left a hole that can never be filled.

"Since he died, I no longer feel like I am living, only existing.

"That night, two policeman knocked our door and told his dad Willie and I that our son had been fatally injured in an accident.

"At first, I didn't hear the word fatally, all I heard was accident and thought he had just been injured.

"Moments later, the mind caught up and I realised my son had gone.

"WhenI found out the accident had been yards from our home and we were lyingsleeping, there was an unbelievable sense of disbelief.

"Ruaraidh was a very careful driver in his own little Nova and insisted we always wore seatbelts.

"The Land Rover Alexander was driving in 2003 was a farm vehicle and had no belts in the back.

"Wedon't blame Alexander and wrote to the judge asking for leniency. Hehas to live with the guilt every day. Forgiveness is a strong word butyou have to move on with life.

"I sat with his mother Vanessa during the case and we were able to offer comfort to each other.

"I don't know what the answer is to stopping young people from drink-driving or driving too fast.

"All I know is Willie and I face a different future without Ruaraidh.

"We will never see him fall in love or marry and we have been robbed of the chance of grandchildren.

"All we can hope is that other young motorists take heed of what has happened to Ruaraidh."

We tried to pull Ruaraidh free

THE FIREFIGHTER

FIRE Brigade watch manager Kenny McDonald, 44, said: "We tried to pull Ruaraidh free of the Land Rover. He appeared to have been thrown out ofthe vehicle and was trapped underneath at the rear.

"Dealing withsuch accidents is not easy and everyone reacts differently but there isno doubt incidents like this are distressing for everyone involved.

"I try not to let them affect me but who can be sure it doesn't?

"Ihave to try to keep an emotional distance when I am working. It is hardbut to do that I can't think about the victim having a family. It is acoping mechanism. I have been to many horrific scenes but you can'tafford to get involved emotionally.

"At an accident scene we haveto consider trapped casualties as the top priority and all my thoughtsmust be directed towards them and their timely extrication from thevehicle.

"I also have my firefighters to consider, as they rely on my judgment for the successful outcome of the incident.

"We need to try to find a way of getting the message over to young people that they are not immortal."

What a waste of life

THE AMBULANCEMAN

STUART MACKINTOSH, 35, who raced to the crash site, said: "When I saw Ruaraidh that night, I thought what a needless waste of life.

"When wearrived at the scene, our colleagues from Fort Augustus were alreadythere and Ruaraidh was being lifted away from the Land Rover and intothe ambulance.

"The car was lying on its roof but ironically, asin many accidents, the damage didn't look bad enough for anyone to havebeen killed.

"There is always an eerie silence. People areworking but everything seems so still, it is almost done in a whisper.It doesn't matter how many fatal accidents you attend, your feelings donot change - it's horrendous.

"I have one-year-old twins and it is hard not to think about your own children when you go to such an accident.

"I have always been such a careful driver but I am even more so now I have children.

"Becoming a parent makes you realise you are not invincible."

Kids are not invincible

THE INVESTIGATOR

PC DUNCAN MACLAUCHLAN, 43, was at the crash scene within 20 minutes.

He said: "It was my job, along with other officers, to examine the scene and try to establish what had happened.

"Seeing young people killed is never easy and you never become hardened to it.

"I find myself thinking about my own family. You never forget this is someone else's child.

"I later spoke to the family about what had happened.

"Thisis always very difficult. Very often the family ask whether their lovedone suffered but, mercifully, in most instances death is instant. Atevery accident, we measure the width of the road, the width and lengthof any skid marks, the size and damage to the vehicle. We also measureitems thrown from the vehicle.

"It was clear in this case thedriver had missed a right hand sweeping bend, caught the verge and lostcontrol, then turned upside down.

"Young people often think theyare indestructible in cars but while cars have got safer, the humanbody has not. It remains as fragile as always."

He's sentenced to life of guilt

THE DRIVER'S MUM

VANESSA MACDONALD-HAIG, 55, claims her son will never forgive himself.

Shesaid: "Janice and Willie Potts' lives were shattered and their son andhis future taken from them in an accident that need not have happened.

"The catalyst in this case was not speed but alcohol and poor judgment on the part of our son to drive his friends home.

"Alexanderserved 18 months of a three-year prison sentence. But his lifelongsentence will be living daily with guilt, remorse and the memories.

"I applaud the Scottish Executive initiative to support the Pass Plus scheme.

"Wewould support further initiatives to raise the minimum age for drivers,limit the number of passengers carried by drivers under 21 or limit theallowed engine size for young drivers.

"More practical education is required to help youngsters see the dangers of mixing alcohol, speed or drugs with driving."

It was a highly emotional day

THE MINISTER

HUGHWATT 49, of Urquhart and Glenmoriston Parish Church, said: "My daughterShirley was in Ruaraidh's class at school so was very upset by hisdeath.

"The funeral was highly emotionally charged because, for many of his friends, this was the first funeral they had attended.

"WhenRuaraidh's parents came to see me about the service they were quitestrong and had a lot of support through God and the community.

"The tributes were led by family and friends who knew him best and I gave thanks to God for his life.

"It was a very moving ceremony.

"I recently held a service for another young man killed on the roads.

"The number of young people killed in road accidents is of great concern.

"I applaud the Pass Plus scheme which encourages young drivers to learn extra motorway skills."