Emergency services appeal for public to witness a collision that could save their life

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Sadly 46 people lost their lives on Cheshire's roads in 2018. As a result, 46 families worlds were brought crashing down and emergency services staff witnessed the subsequent tragedy unfold 46 times.

A breakdown of statistic released today, regarding the 32 people who died in a fatal collision on Cheshire roads between September 1st and 28th February 2019, revealed that Macclesfield Policing Unit - which also covers Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, Congleton, Knutsford and Poynton - witnessed the highest number of fatal collisions with 9 casualties and 15 of the 28 people who died were travelling on roads in Cheshire East.

This year has seen more than one person a week die on Cheshire's roads - 26 people have died in a fatal collision from 1st January until 9th September - and Cheshire's emergency services are stressing that collisions can be avoided if road users think about how they drive, consider the conditions of the road and assess their surroundings.

That's why Cheshire's emergency services have today, Friday 13th September, released an account of how a fatal collision affects not only the driver and their family, but everyone else subsequently involved.

The emotive video highlights the devastation collisions cause with emergency services staff speaking out about how responding to these incidents affect them personally.

In particular, this time last year saw a sharp rise in the number of people dying on the roads – 32 people did not go home between September and February - and police do not want the same to happen again this year.

Superintendent Jo Marshall-Bell, Head of Cheshire Constabulary's Roads and Crime Unit, said: "One death as a result of something preventable is one too many. The moment we get that call we have had another fatal collision in the county - our hearts sink.

"A family liaison officer has to go and break the devastating news to the family, and help them to rebuild their lives - without their loved one. It's heartbreaking. Not just for the family who have lost their mother/father/child, but for all the responding emergency service staff who have to help pick up the pieces.

"With the nights getting darker and the roads getting wetter, it's more important than ever that people heed our advice and drive more carefully."

Station Manager Andy Gray, Road Safety Manager for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "As a Service we spend a considerable amount of time educating road users on how to drive safely. We explain and show the consequences of how one reckless decision behind the wheel can have - yet we are seeing the number of people killed on our roads increase.

"Firefighters do a great job at rescuing people from collisions however sometimes, it is just too late. They have seen far too many preventable fatalities and life-changing injuries on the county's roads.

"Think before you overtake and make sure it is safe to do so, concentrate when pulling out of a junction, look out for cyclists and motorcyclists, leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front and drive appropriately for the road and weather conditions. I promise you, it's not worth dying for..."

Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, David Keane, said: "Making our roads safer is one of the most important priorities for the residents I represent in Cheshire and I am working closely with our Chief Constable and victims to improve road safety across the county.

"I recently met the family of a young man killed on one of Cheshire's roads to talk to them about how they were supported by Cheshire Police and to discuss how the criminal justice system can better support victims and their families. It was harrowing to see first-hand the devastating effect the loss of a loved one had had on the entire family.

"This video not only captures the aftermath of a road traffic collisions for the victims' family but also emergency services workers. I hope it makes people think twice about driving recklessly and putting their lives and the lives of other road users and pedestrians at risk."

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Comments

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Marcia McGrail
Thursday 19th September 2019 at 10:06 am
The will to constrain the cultural psyche that says 'Get outta my way' has been hijacked by the auto industry fiddling in the policy makers' ears and pockets.
They build more roads, faster cars, castrate laws then posture sadly at the loss of life when people use them irresponsibly. The level of deaths/injuries on the roads is seen as an unfortunate by-product.
Who is going to return the right to drive back into into a privilege rooted in the heirarchy of vulnerable travellers?
Until 'After you' with a smile from behind the windscreen becomes the norm, we will not see any reduction in deaths.