It is as bad as we have seen this week, with three young people from a small town, and two from the same family, losing their lives.

Just how can parents, brothers, sisters, other relatives and friends cope with the sudden and tragic losses of loved ones? Well, they are helped by their coming together, to share in the grief, by their community closing ranks, by people outwith echoing the messages of condolences.

It is impossible not to be moved by the happy faces of the three young Cullen folk; faces that were obviously enjoying life and had much to look forward to. Their losses leave gaps that can never by filled, but their passing leaves memories that will never be forgotten.

The only real lasting tribute that we in Moray as a whole can make to the victims of incidents such as these, is to try to make sure something like this may never happen again.

It will, sadly, but let us all try to limit the chances.

It is the responsibility of those in charge of our roads to strive towards making them as safe as possible; for those in authority to strive towards getting across the safe driving message.

Ultimately, the main responsibility for avoiding tragedy is for each and every one of us getting into a car to think safe and to act safe. There can be no room for complacency.

And if we feel there are stretches of road that could be made safer then we should speak up. All individuals and communities have a part to play.

But us all being more aware is, of course, of little consolation to the Gardiner and Putnam families, but if it helps avert similar tragedies in the future then some good will have come from this hellish evening in July.

Combined effort needed to tackle drugs menace

FIVE people lost their lives through drug misuse in Moray in 2007, and it has claimed another two lives so far this year.

As with our road deaths, what a waste, what a tragedy.

It is easy for us to write off drug fatalities with a shrug of the shoulders and a "Well, it's a stupid thing to do and serves them right."

But if we want to behave as a caring society, then that is simply not good enough.

Death by drugs wreaks the same havoc on a family as death by other means, and the fight must go on to prevent the tragedies being repeated. No-one will pretend it is a fight that will be won, but we must try.

Education and prevention programmes must continue, especially among our young people; all forms of support must be developed to keep users safe and to be weaned off drugs; and the police and courts must do all in their power to bring the suppliers and pushers to justice and deter others from profiting from tragedy.

Lots of agencies are working together to achieve all these aims; they deserve the support of all of us in achieving their long-term aim of reducing the demand of illegal drugs.

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