Mock crash drives home drink message to motorists
A HARD message on the dangers of drink and drug driving has been hammered home with a mock road accident in the middle of Swadlincote town centre.
This photograph reveals the devastation serious collisions can cause on the roads after emergency services joined together for a training event on The Delph.
The spectacle drew quite a crowd as shoppers were encouraged to ask questions of the officers involved as they worked to free “trapped” motorists from the vehicle.
It comes after there were six crashes in the area in which people have died this year. However, the causes of these incidents have not been linked to drink or drug driving.
Police officers in South Derbyshire joined forces with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue and East Midlands Ambulance Service staff to stage the live mock incident in Swadlincote.
The event on Saturday allowed emergency services to practice how they deal with such serious events.
It comes as there were three fatal car crashes in South Derbyshire last month, including one involving young motorcyclist Lucas Whitnall, from Coalville, who worked in Swadlincote. The 17-year-old died following a collision involving a lorry on the A511 Ashby Road in Woodville on November 6.
Acting police Sergeant Joe Stafford, who co-ordinated the mock accident, said that since January this year there had been 47 fatal road traffic collisions in Derbyshire, six of them in South Derbyshire.
He added that colleagues in other emergency services wanted to warn people of the common causes of such accidents to try to help prevent further heart-breaking incidents.
Driving at excessive speed, under the influence of drink or drugs, not wearing a seat belt and using a mobile telephone while driving are the four key causes of collisions involving death or serious injury in the UK.