Nottinghamshire Police say they are targeting the “fatal four” road traffic offences: speeding, drink or drug driving, using a mobile phone while driving and not wearing a seatbelt. The force has revealed figures showing that over the past three years, 411 people were killed or seriously injured on the county’s roads. That includes 47 people who were killed as a result of “drivers and riders making the wrong choices” – the fatal four.
The police say that 21 deaths on the road were caused by speeding; 18 by drink or drug driving; six because people were not wearing a seatbelt; and two because the driver was using a mobile phone while behind the wheel.
The police say that enforcement of these “fatal four” offences takes place across the county 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Last month, some 300 traffic offence reports were handed to offending drivers.
“Whilst it’s shocking that we’ve seen so many deaths and serious injuries caused by these ‘fatal four’ offences, statistics alone can never paint a true picture of the utter devastation caused to those who have lost loved ones and suffered lifelong injuries in these collisions”, Detective Inspector Kate Savage from Nottinghamshire’s serious investigation and roads policing units, said.
“We are very clear that when anyone gets behind the wheel it is their responsibility to make sure they have done everything they can to ensure their safety and that of others. This includes making sure you and your passengers are wearing a seatbelt, children are seated safely and securely, and keeping to speed limits.
“The majority of drivers use the roads respectfully and adhere to the law, but it is worrying that we still have some drivers across our area who are putting themselves and other road users at risk by their reckless driving behaviour.”
She added: “enforcing the law across our roads and educating people about the consequences of unsafe driving is a year-round commitment for the force and we continue to urge all road users to think carefully about their driving behaviour and remind them of their responsibilities when they go out in their vehicles.
“The laws are there to save lives and our activity to crackdown on reckless and dangerous driving and to improve road safety will continue throughout Nottinghamshire.”
