Police issue stark warning to motorists after man dies in alleged Aylesbury drug driving incident

Thames Valley Police has urged motorists to obey the law after a fatal traffic incident in Aylesbury.

A 57-year-old died as a result of injuries suffered in a collision with a vehicle on Saturday (27 May).

He was a pedestrian on New Street when he was hit by a BMW on Saturday night.

In connection to the incident a man was arrested on suspicion of drug driving, he has since been bailed while investigations are ongoing.

Following this crash and other road traffic tragedies Thames Valley Police has reminded motorists to value their and others’ safety.

In just 19 days between the 9 and 28 May, Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit officers from the Thames Valley have attended and dealt with nine fatal road traffic collisions across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

Many of these incidents are believed to have involved people committing crimes on the road.

All of these collisions are being investigated by the Serious Collision Investigation Unit within Roads Policing and the majority of them are suspected to have involved one or more of excessive speed, not wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone and drink or drug driving.

Detective Chief Inspector Mike Bettington, of the Roads Policing Unit, said: “We need the public to slow down, wear their seatbelts, not use their phones and not drink/drug drive. This is the case every day but we’re noticing the impact more so as we reach the warmer months. Roads Policing is experiencing a high level of work at this time through needless, tragic collisions that could all have been avoided. Our family liaison officers are working with families to help bring them answers as to how and why their loved ones died on our roads. Where we have the evidence, we will be prosecuting drivers for offences of death by careless or death by dangerous driving which can receive a maximum of 14 years in prison.

“Everyone wants to enjoy the good weather of the summer months and this usually brings a greater volume and mix of vehicles onto our roads. I need people to take more time for their journeys, plan ahead, nominate a designated driver, make sure everyone in their vehicle is wearing a seatbelt and not to use phones while driving. Any one of these offences can and tragically do lead to loss of life on our roads and unless all of the public adhere to these basics we will continue to suffer needless fatalities.”

Latest data shows the leading causes of serious injury and death on UK roads are speeding, drink and drug driving, not wearing a seat belt and using a mobile phone while driving.

Thames Valley Police has provided more details on the offences, the penalties they carry and how to report incidents or collisions if they occur on its website.

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