Thames Valley Police warn over "needless" road deaths in May
The force say they've attended 9 fatal collisions
Thames Valley Police is investigating nine fatal road traffic collisions this month and the Fatal 4 offences are suspected to have been involved in the vast majority of them.
In just 19 days between the 9 and 28 May, Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit officers from the Thames Valley have attended and dealt with nine fatal road traffic collisions across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. Police say all of these collisions are being investigated by the Serious Collision Investigation Unit within Roads Policing and the majority of them are suspected to have involved one or more of excessive speed, not wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone and drink/drug driving.
Detective Chief Inspector Mike Bettington, of the Roads Policing Unit, said:
“We need the public to slow down, wear their seatbelts, not use their phones and not drink/drug drive. This is the case every day but we’re noticing the impact more so as we reach the warmer months. Roads Policing is experiencing a high level of work at this time through needless, tragic collisions that could all have been avoided. Our family liaison officers are working with families to help bring them answers as to how and why their loved ones died on our roads. Where we have the evidence, we will be prosecuting drivers for offences of death by careless or death by dangerous driving which can receive a maximum of 14 years in prison.
“Everyone wants to enjoy the good weather of the summer months and this usually brings a greater volume and mix of vehicles onto our roads. I need people to take more time for their journeys, plan ahead, nominate a designated driver, make sure everyone in their vehicle is wearing a seatbelt and not to use phones while driving. Any one of these offences can and tragically do lead to loss of life on our roads and unless all of the public adhere to these basics we will continue to suffer needless fatalities.”
The leading causes of serious injury and death on UK roads are speeding, drink and drug driving, not wearing a seat belt and using a mobile phone while driving. Find out more about these offences, the penalties they carry and how to report incidents or collisions if they occur by visiting: https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/rs/road-safety/