A widow says her children deal with the damage caused by drink driving everyday after their dad was killed. Clair Osborne, 48, of Mansfield Woodhouse, who lost her husband in a crash caused by a drink-driver in 2021, is supporting a campaign by Nottinghamshire Police to dissuade people from drink-driving as Christmas nears.
Mark Osborne, 48, of Mansfield Woodhouse, was killed when his motorbike was clipped by a swerving van on the A60 Mansfield Road, between Papplewick and Arnold, in July last year. The driver, Julieanne Walsh, then 32, of Abbott Road, Mansfield, was sentenced in June to five years in prison for causing death by careless driving when she was over the drink drive limit.
Mrs Osborne has urged people to plan how they will get home if they are going to be drinking alcohol on a night out. She said: “If you’ve got work dos or have got Christmas parties planned, that’s the key word – they are planned. Plan your taxi, plan your lift home.
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"If you’re driving and anybody tries to tempt you to have a drink, just ask yourself, is it worth it? I have to see what it’s done to my children every day because someone decided to drink-drive.”
Neighbourhood policing teams recently carried out operations in Bonner Lane, Calverton, and Longdale Lane, Ravenshead, to crack down on speeding and a further operation covering the Arnold area to target drivers committing the ‘fatal four’ driving offences. Speeding, drink-driving, using a mobile phone while driving and not wearing a seatbelt are dubbed the ‘fatal four’ because they are the most common reasons for deaths and serious injuries on the road.
Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant Stuart Howe, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “It’s vital we continue to take positive action, like these operations, to keep our road users safe and educate drivers on the potentially fatal consequences of their actions.
“These driving behaviours are called the ‘fatal four’ for a reason – because they are the most common factors in fatal road collisions.
“Speed limits and driving laws are there to protect all road users. We need all drivers to abide by the law as no-one wants to receive the knock at the door to say their loved one has been killed.
“We remain committed to keeping our roads safe, using a mixture of engagement, education and enforcement, and further operations will be carried out to target those whose driving standards fall well below what you would expect of a safe and competent driver.”
The force’s new crime prevention campaign has also included a series of interactive public engagement events to discourage people from drink-driving. One event took place at Trinity Square in Nottingham city centre on Saturday, December 17 and another is due on Friday, December 23, 6pm-8pm, with East Midlands Ambulance Service volunteers attending alongside special constables, police officers and police community support officers.
Meanwhile, more than 2,000 posters and 5,000 beermats educating road users on the consequences of drink-driving have been distributed to pubs all over Nottinghamshire. Similar messages have been placed on the back of Nottingham City Transport buses as part of an advertising campaign.
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