Motorists urged to stay safe on the roads after fatal crash in Mansfield

The tragedies have left families and friends of the victims devastated and police and fire colleagues are determined to do everything they can to prevent more families experiencing that same heartbreak.

Nottinghamshire Police has a dedicated road safety team whose officers are committed to preventing fatal crashes by targeting their four main causes ¬- speeding, drink or drug-driving, using a mobile phone while driving and driving without wearing a seatbelt.

And officers are urging drivers to keep the so-called “fatal four” in mind every time they get behind the wheel as these causes often result in the fatality of innocent people.

Investigations are continuing into the four recent road traffic collisions, which happened over five days, resulting in six people’s deaths.

A 25-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene of a crash in Southwell Road, Oxton, on Wednesday, January 19, after a collision between two cars.

And officers also attended another fatal crash just five days earlier on Saturday 15 January, in Chesterfield Road North, Mansfield, where John Woodcock, 44, of Sutton, known as Dan to his family and friends, and his two-year-old son, Lewis, died in hospital following a crash between three cars.

Superintendent Claire Rukas, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Our officers so far this year have attended a shocking number of fatal collisions and it is heartbreaking to have to tell someone that their loved one has died as a result of someone being negligent on our roads.

“Officers from across the county regularly carry out operations in a bid to take dangerous drivers off our roads, stop drink and drug-drivers in their tracks and apprehend those using a mobile phone at the wheel.

“We will continue to push these kinds of operations and make it perfectly clear if you are found to be breaking the law and placing people’s lives at risk you will be arrested and dealt with.

“I would like to personally ask every driver to drive carefully and safely and take all the correct precautions to protect themselves and others.

“By listening to this advice, refreshing your memory or simply just using basic safety advice it could be the difference between life and death – so please take note and help us keep road users safe.”

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service often attend road traffic collisions alongside the police and East Midlands Ambulance Service.

Bryn Coleman, Area Manager of NFRS, and chair of Nottingham’s Road Safety Partnership, said: “Sadly, some road traffic collisions are more serious than others, which is why we want to raise awareness about how dangerous the roads can be.

“We urge people to adhere to the fatal four and we want people to take extra care on the roads to keep themselves and other road users safe to prevent serious collisions, and even fatalities, from happening.”

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