A 17-year-old girl has died and a three-year-old boy is in hospital after a collision between a car and a van on the A714 in South Ayrshire on Friday morning.
Details of the incident
The accident happened around 9.15am near the village of Pinmore, about 10 miles south of Girvan. The girl was driving a blue Ford Fiesta, which collided with a white Ford Transit van. The van driver, a 40-year-old man, was not injured.
The girl was pronounced dead at the scene, while the boy, who was a passenger in the car, was taken by ambulance to Ayr Hospital. His condition is not known, but he is believed to have suffered serious injuries.
The road was closed for several hours while police carried out investigations and cleared the debris. Officers are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to come forward and help them establish the circumstances of the crash.
Tributes pour in for the victim
The identity of the girl has not been officially released, but she has been named locally as Megan Scott, a student at Girvan Academy. She was described by her friends and family as a “beautiful, kind and caring” person who had a bright future ahead of her.
Her mother, Lisa Scott, posted a heartbreaking message on social media, saying: “My beautiful daughter Megan Scott taken from us this morning in a car accident. Words can’t describe how we are feeling. Fly high my angel. Love you always and forever.”
Her school also issued a statement, expressing their “deep sadness” and offering their “thoughts and prayers” to her loved ones. They said: “Megan was a popular and well-liked pupil who had a passion for art and music. She was a talented singer and guitarist who performed at many school events. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.”
Community rallies around the family
The local community has shown their support and sympathy for the family of Megan and the injured boy. A crowdfunding page has been set up to help them with the funeral costs and other expenses. The page has already raised more than £5,000 in less than 24 hours, surpassing its initial target of £2,000.
The organiser of the page, Emma McEwan, wrote: “Megan was a lovely girl who touched the hearts of many. She was taken far too soon and we want to do anything we can to help her family at this difficult time. Please donate whatever you can, no matter how small, to show them that they are not alone.”
Many people have also left messages of condolence and tribute on the page, calling Megan a “beautiful soul”, a “ray of sunshine” and a “star in the sky”.
Road safety campaign launched
The tragic accident has also sparked a road safety campaign in the area, urging drivers to be more careful and vigilant on the rural roads. The campaign, called “Drive Safe for Megan”, was launched by a local councillor, John McDowall, who said he was “shocked and saddened” by the incident.
He said: “This is a terrible tragedy that has shaken the whole community. We need to do something to prevent such accidents from happening again. I am calling on all drivers to drive safe for Megan and respect the speed limits, the road conditions and the other road users. We don’t want to lose any more lives on our roads.”
He added that he would also lobby the council and the government to improve the road infrastructure and signage in the area, as well as provide more education and awareness programmes for young drivers.
