The toll of young men on Melksham's roads

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Once again this morning, Melksham is shocked by the news of a local road accident, and the death of a young man who lived around here after far, far to short a life.  The official online coverage I've seen hasn't named the person killed, nor the one in critical condition airlifted to hospital or the walking wounded.  But talking to my team at work, they know who it is - and they were at school together, if not close chums.

One of the people posting on Facebook nearly lost a member of her family in a a road accident within the last year, and knows those involved, and not too long ago, three youngish blokes who had been working at the sports and social club that backs onto the station's land were killed when their car left the road and burst into flames.  The lamppost ouside Cooper Tires claimed a victim quite recently where the road bends but a car went straight ahead, and the concrete blocks added to the bypass bridge over the river Avon are because a car went off the road and another young man was killed, though I do ask myself would he have survived had he hit the concrete anyway?

Reaction to a single incident - "knee-jerk" - results in bad decisions, and in shutting the door after the horse has bolted but I find myself wondering this morning what might / can / should be done to reduce this terrible toll.  I'm very conscious that many of the people I saw on the overcrowded train from Swindon back via Melksham yesterday after the match were being sensible and letting someone else drive, and I'm also conscious that whilst some of the casualties I mention above were of questionable state, some (perhaps the majority) were 'salt of the earth' and had never put a foot wrong - in the wrong place at the wrong time, alas.   I offer no immediate solutions - I suggest that we should reflect and look at how we do things and actually do those things after that reflection.

[ChrisB]

Raise the driving test age to 21

[ellendune]

The Police do a speed awareness course for some first time offenders. What about making this part of the driving test process along with a drink awareness course.

[LiskeardRich]

The Police do a speed awareness course for some first time offenders. What about making this part of the driving test process along with a drink awareness course.

Because having done the speed awareness course about 6 years ago it was waste of time. 

My course was presented by a chap with a boring monotone voice. There was no content to illustrate what they were trying to tell us.
It consisted of telling us the stopping distances at each speed in different weathers. Meaningless in a class room environment without footage for example.
Did it stop me driving fast? No. spinning my car into a hedge stopped me driving fast about 18 months after the course. (I wasn't speeding at the time I spun, I was doing 55 in a 60 zone, which although legal was inappropriate for the very wet conditions)
I think if they had shown horrific pictures and footage on my speed awareness course it would have been more effective. Perhaps a case study with someone who has life changing injuries.

[John R]

It is maybe surprising to know that in the last decade the number of fatalities has halved, but at 1700 pa is still far too many. The number of injuries has also fallen, by a third.

I'm guessing that continual improvements in car design is the main driver for the reduction, with another possibility being the more recent introduction of technology to monitor younger drivers for whom insurance had become unaffordable.

It's worth noting that in the last ten years only one passenger onboard a train has been killed as a result of an accident (Graygrigg). I wonder when assessing the relative merits of investment in road and rail if this stark contrast is taken into consideration.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Melksham crash leaves man dead and driver critically injured

A teenager was killed and another man critically injured in a two-vehicle crash in Wiltshire.

A Citroen Saxo car and a van crashed at 15:00 GMT on Saturday in Forest Lane, near Melksham.

A 19-year-old man from the local area, who was a passenger in the car, died at the scene.

The driver, 22, from Melksham, is in a critical but stable condition in hospital.

Police appealed for the drivers of two cars which did not stop at the scene to contact them. "Three cars were travelling towards Melksham in close proximity to each other," said PC Peter Williamson, from Wiltshire Police. "When the Saxo was involved in the collision, the other two cars did not stop at the scene. It is imperative that the drivers of the two cars come forward as soon as possible to assist us with our enquiries."

The male driver of the van, 25, from the Trowbridge area, was taken to hospital where he was described as walking wounded, police said.

[onthecushions]

Not to forget 5 killed on A630 near Doncaster, 2, 18 year olds, 3, 16 year olds.

OTC

[phile]

It's not the capability of driving a car that is the problem, but the manner in which it is being driven.

[onthecushions]

I often wonder what is the purpose of teaching and minutely examing new drivers' balletic pirouettes like 3-point turns and reversing into gaps while neglecting habits of caution, good manners, conservative driving etc.

I think it may come down to the limited minds of our DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) mandarins and ministers, with which we are only too familiar.

How many young drivers are killed each year backing into parking spaces etc?

OTC

[LiskeardRich]

I often wonder what is the purpose of teaching and minutely examing new drivers' balletic pirouettes like 3-point turns and reversing into gaps while neglecting habits of caution, good manners, conservative driving etc.

I think it may come down to the limited minds of our DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) mandarins and ministers, with which we are only too familiar.

How many young drivers are killed each year backing into parking spaces etc?

OTC

Anyone can put on a show for a 40 minute test (as long as they can drive) Its insufficient in my opinion.

[Phil]

thanks... it took me three attempts!!

[bobm]

Sad to report a week on, a 21 year old has died in a road accident in Savernake Forest.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-30168422

Three others in the car seriously hurt, a fourth with minor injuries.

[Tim]

I'm guessing that continual improvements in car design is the main driver for the reduction, with another possibility being the more recent introduction of technology to monitor younger drivers for whom insurance had become unaffordable.

Another contribution is advances in emergency medicine and air ambulances.  More people who get seriously injured go on to survive than used to be the case.  This is also a partial reason for the fall in murder rate.  People still get stabbed in fights but with better emergency care (and CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) cameras which alert the authorities quickly)  more of them get patched up more quickly and more skilfully and few die.

[LiskeardRich]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2862502/Hundreds-turn-car-crash-teenager-s-funeral-dress-trademark-pink-dressing-gown-celebrate-sense-style.html
**sorry about the poor formatting and I don't know how to copy the pictures***

Mourners at a teenager's funeral paid tribute to his favourite item of clothing - by wearing pink polka dot dressing gowns.

Max Lewis, 19, of Melksham in Wiltshire, died when the car driven by his friend Dan Palmer, 22, collided with a van.

His grieving mother Nicola, 50, had asked mourners to wear something that showed her son's 'sense of style'.


Mourners at a funeral for teenager Max Lewis paid tribute to his favourite item of clothing - by wearing pink polka dot dressing gowns


Grieving friends had been asked to come along to the service wearing something that showed her Max's 'sense of style'


Max Lewis (pictured), 19, of Melksham in Wiltshire, died when the car driven by his friend Dan Palmer, 22, collided with a van

Dozens of friends donned pink hooded dressing gowns - one of the teenager's trademark outfits - including the pallbearers and even the reverend.

Speaking to the gathering of 450 friends, a tearful Ms Lewis said: 'You always had a strong sense of who you are.

'You were determined, adventurous and playful, funny, mischievous and energetic and very caring. You have left a huge gaping hole in our lives and hearts.'

She added: 'Please young people, try to keep yourselves safe, because it is just too hard to lose you.'

Max was a passenger in a red Citroen Saxo which collided with a white Renault Master van on November 15.

Driver Dan Palmer suffered a punctured lung and broken pelvis and had to undergo extensive surgery following the smash, but is now recovering at home.


Dozens of friends donned pink hooded dressing gowns - one of the teenager's trademark outfits - including the pallbearers and even the reverend


Locals wearing the pink hooded fleeces and carrying single roses lined the streets approaching St Michael's Church in Melksham before packing out the service


As well as the dressing gowns mourners wore wristbands which said 'Max Lewis Gone but never forgotten RIP 09/01/1995 - 15/11/2014'


The ceremony contained hymns and bible readings and ended with Rev Ren^e Coulson donning a matching pink gown before Bob Marley's Three Little Birds was played

Locals wearing the pink hooded fleeces and carrying single roses lined the streets approaching St Michael's Church in Melksham before packing out the service.

As well as the dressing gowns they wore wristbands which said 'Max Lewis Gone but never forgotten RIP 09/01/1995 - 15/11/2014'.

The ceremony contained hymns and bible readings and ended with Rev Ren^e Coulson donning a matching pink gown before Bob Marley's Three Little Birds was played.

Two men - aged 18 and 25 - have been released on bail until January pending further investigations into the car crash.

Edit note:

**sorry about the poor formatting and I don't know how to copy the pictures***

Fixed that for you. Thanks for posting. CfN.

[ChrisB]

Another fatal crash in/near Westbury claimed 3 more last night, reported on 5Live this morning