Plea for more respect between road users on Wiltshire roads
Over 250 people were seriously hurt or killed in collisions last year
The Sergeant leading Wiltshire Police's Serious Collision Investigation Team is calling for road users to respect each other more on the roads.
Sgt Rich Hatch has said that he is often left disappointed at the lack of courtesy we afford each other on the roads.
Over 3,000 people die on the UK's roads every year, with 255 people killed or seriously injured on Wiltshire roads in 2023.
We're being asked to think carefully about their driving standards. “Being convicted of death by dangerous driving can now carry a life imprisonment, which is the same as the sentence for murder," Sgt Hatch said.
He added: "Whilst we appreciate that there are enormous pressures placed on people in the UK, and the roads are very congested, it seems that a lot of drivers have forgotten to be nice. Let people out of junctions safely, or give room to pedal cyclists and motorbikes, wait for that pedestrian to cross, even if the light is green for you, these people are entitled to be on the roads and are amongst the most vulnerable of road users we have.
“Many drivers seem to treat these users as an inconvenience rather than a hazard. We must all remember that one small mistake can lead very quickly to the death of another and this is life changing for both parties involved."
His call comes as the force is running it's 'No Excuse' road safety campaign, focussing on the 'fatal five' offences that are most likely to result in harm on the road.
The fatal five offences are speeding, drink and drug driving, using a phone whilst driving, not wearing a seatbelt, or careless and dangerous driving.
Sgt Hatch's call for kindness has deep rooted resonance with him, as it was the compassionate actions of a police officer who helped his father after an accident in the 1990s.
Sgt Hatch's father was involved in a collision but the officer took the time to understand why the accident had happened, saving Sgt's Hatch's father's life.
He said: “By being thoughtful, treating my father with respect, and understanding that good people make mistakes, he identified that my father had a blind spot in his vision, which, when investigated further, turned out to be a brain tumour.”
This experience inspired Sgt Hatch to be a roads policing officer, which he now has almost 25 years of experience doing.