Nottinghamshire drivers are being told to take extra care amid a "shocking" number of collisions which have claimed the lives of three young people in the past week. Two men, aged 19 and 17, died in a collision in Gonalston on Thursday (September 22), in an incident which left others seriously injured.
A collision on the A46 involving four cars near Car Colston then resulted in the death of a man in his 20s on Saturday (September 24). Potentially life-threatening injuries were also sustained by a motorcycle rider in his 20s following a crash near King's Mill Hospital earlier in the week.
Sergeant Mark Baker, of Nottinghamshire Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: "One of the worst jobs a police officer ever has to do is tell somebody their loved one has died in a road traffic collision. Our officers have attended a shocking number of fatal collisions recently and it is heartbreaking to have to knock on someone's door and give them the awful news face-to-face that their loved one will not be coming home.
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"Officers from across the county regularly carry out operations in a bid to reduce the number of serious and fatal incidents on our roads. 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."
Police have told motorists to always wearing a seatbelt, drive to the road and weather conditions and ensure a vehicle is well-maintained, to reduce the chances of a collision. Motorists are also being reminded to keep a two second gap from the vehicle in front, stick to speed limits and to never drive under the influence of drink or drugs.
Area Manager Bryn Coleman, the head of prevention and protection for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue and chairman of the Nottinghamshire Road Safety Partnership, says: "Every year, the emergency services attend hundreds of collisions on our roads, and many of them are serious. Alongside our blue light partners, we do everything in our power to help those involved and minimise the devastation caused to loved ones and communities.
"Unfortunately, I have experienced and seen the sadness and frustration when we are unable to do more than we can for people who have been injured or lost their lives, far too many times. Following these recent tragic incidents, I would like to urge all motorists to take extra care on our roads."
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