Protect Yourself

M25 police chase with BMW ends in crash death

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Peter Nunn Posted in Road Accidents Leave a comment

A probe has been launched after a crash death on the M25 motorway. The crash resulted in the death of a man, suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, when his BMW collided with an articulated lorry in Surrey. Police had been trying to stop the vehicle, and the incident will be investigated by the police watchdog, the IPCC.

The M25 had to be closed clockwise between junctions 10 and 11 after the high-powered silver BMW lost control and collided with the back of the articulated lorry, according to Surrey Police. The driver of the BMW was sadly pronounced dead at the scene, and has not been named whilst the next of kin are informed and he is formally identified. The lorry driver was shaken but uninjured. The incident near junction 11 at Chertsey happened after police had attempted to stop the vehicle, which was driving erratically, with the driver suspected of being drunk or on drugs.

Although the matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the cause of death is expected to be mis-adventure. The M25 clockwise had to be closed for several hours while the emergency services dealt with the fall-out from the incident. This case highlights the importance of avoiding alcohol when behind the wheel, and of course driving sensibly.

M5 Motorway car crash pile up on bonfire night near Bridgewater Somerset many deaths after Iceland Lorry jackknifed

Posted on November 5, 2011 by Peter Nunn Posted in Road Accidents Leave a comment

On the M5 Motorway a car crash pile up on bonfire night near Bridgewater, Somerset has resulted in many deaths after an Iceland lorry jackknifed in dense fog, and cars following started ploughing into the lorry, causing a pile up, where a petrol or diesel spill ignited and led to a quick spreading fine which engulfed vehicles, burning people as they were trapped in car wreckages.

A truly horrible accident, on a stretch of motorway which I have often travelled. A firework display at Taunton Rugby Club is being investigated as a possible cause of the mist which descended on a small part of the M5 where the tragedy happened.

The cause of the accident appears to be bonfire events which were going on nearby, causing smoke and mist on the motorway. In retrospect this hopefully will be learned from to avoid future disasters.

People burned were burned alive in the pile-up on the M5 motorway accident, which now appears to be the worst in British history. The official number of dead following the multiple collisions on the M5 near Bridgwater in Somerset had was last reported as seven, with 51 injured, though due to the nature of the accident bodies will be hard to identify.

Anthony Bangham, who is assistant chief constable of Avon and Somerset police reported that some of the dead remained trapped in their charred vehicles, And many lorries and cars smashed on the northbound carriageway were actually burned literally to the ground. Further details are set to be known shortly.

The crash triggered a massive fireball that was seen miles away.

M1 motorway Wakefield police constable killed HGV accident hard shoulder

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Peter Nunn Posted in Road Accidents Leave a comment

On the M1 motorway near Wakefield a police constable was killed by a HGV in an accident on hard shoulder, it seems likely that the driver veered onto the hard shoulder hitting the officer and also a woman civilian, an investigation is under-way.

A HGV driver has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after the police officer was struck by the vehicle causing his death on the M1 motorway near Wakefield, North Yorkshire.

HGV’s appear to feature in many accidents on the UK’s roads, the reasons being unclear, sometimes though fatigue, or dreaded blind spots, driving errors are common though much can be done to reduce these kinds of incidents. Professional drivers are assisted and regulated in many ways to reduce the risks of accidents happening.

The death of Pc Mark Goodlad, caused after he was knocked down on the M1 whilst helping a stranded motorist, highlights the dangers on the road today. If you stop on a Motorway you should always be aware of other vehicles and ideally retreat to a safe distance off the carriageway until help comes.

It is very easy for a tired driver to veer onto the hard shoulder, and never should you stop there unless absolutely necesary

It is important that drivers who work for a living have the right amount of break time, and are able to drive in an alert and safe manner. Those who drive for a living are more likely to die or have an accident on the roads.

Young and new drivers need to be given the proper support to be and remain good drivers, though we all learn from mistakes and quite possibly many of us have had near misses in the past.

Statistics by the AA suggest the chance of death is around 1 in 150 for people who drive for a living, which is a sobering statistic. Other statistics by the Liberal Democrat party back in 2008, and compiled over a 5 year period suggested that 31% of road accidents in which someone was killed or injured involved HGV’s, which only accounted for 8% of the traffic on A roads and Motorways.

A vehicle such as a lorry is a very dangerous vehicle in the wrong hands, and it has been reported that foreign drivers do not have to abide by UK driving time regulations, which is a worrying thought.

There is an urgent need to look at the issue of HGV drivers and working practices, which generally appear to be quite good in the UK. Accidents at hard shoulder happen too often and we all should be aware of the dangers.

The deceased Pc Mark Goodlad was 41 and had been airlifted to hospital following the accident on the M1 between junctions 40 and 39, but sadly died from his injuries. He was described as being a very experienced road traffic officer.