School pupil from Oban raises awareness of road dangers after breaking his ankle in three places
13-year-old Fraser Pollock has joined forces with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service this National Road Safety Week to raise awareness and share his story.
A school pupil from Oban in Argyll and Bute is warning other youths not to take risks when crossing the road after he was knocked down last year breaking his ankle in three places.
13-year-old Fraser Pollock has joined forces with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service this National Road Safety Week to raise awareness and share his story.
He recently took part in a talk at Oban High School alongside Community Safety Officer and Firefighter, Colin Maclean-Fleming, in front of around 200 pupils.
Fraser, who was knocked down during his lunch break in November 2023, was taken to hospital after his friends called for an ambulance.
The teenager was unable to take part in many activities while he was recovering as he was put in a cast followed by a moon boot for several months.
“I felt like an idiot because it was my fault for taking a risk - I should have just waited."
Fraser said: “Before it happened, I would take part in shinty, football and karate but after it happened, I couldn’t do much and I was just sitting at home unable to do anything.
“I felt like an idiot because it was my fault for taking a risk and I should have just waited.
“I just felt 'why did I do that?'”
Following the incident, Colin Maclean-Fleming got in touch with the family who he knew prior to Fraser’s accident. That’s when he asked Fraser to join him at the school event and pass on advice to help others stay safe when crossing the roads.
Fraser added: “Just be careful when crossing the roads, make sure to look both ways and check and double check there are no cars coming and just keep on listening when you're crossing to make sure there's nothing coming up fast.”
As a thank you, Colin invited Fraser and his family to Oban Community Fire Station for a ‘Firefighter for a Day’ experience where Fraser learned lots of skills and enjoyed his day.
Community Safety Officer and Firefighter, Colin Maclean-Fleming, said: “Fraser has understood and taken ownership for what he did wrong and in-turn has helped us to promote road safety. We can now get through to these kids through Fraser’s experience.
“The way he’s managed to turn a really awful situation into a positive one is very admirable for a boy of his age and he has handled it in such a mature manner.
“We all make split second decisions in life but taking a bit more time to think before crossing the road can ensure the next decision isn’t a fatal one.”
For more information on road safety, visit our Road Safety webpage.