Police unit puts out renewed appeal over driver safety after 45 killed in Staffordshire crashes in 2023
A renewed appeal to the public has been released around drivers' attitudes as part of a continued police operation.
The Staffordshire Police Roads Policing Unit has spoken about how many people died or were left with serious injuries from collisions in 2023.
The unit said that 45 people had died from 42 collisions last year, while 34 were left with serious and potentially life-changing injuries from collisions and how, at the start of 2024, police in Staffordshire were dealing with a serious collision to start the year.
The single-vehicle collision happened on the A5 in the early hours of New Year's Day and resulted in the road being closed in both directions between the M6Toll, Church Bridge, and the B4154, near Norton Canes, until 1.30pm.
Other incidents in 2023 included the deaths of Joan Hill, who died following a collision near the Longford island in Cannock on Sunday, January 1, after the red Peugeot she was travelling in was hit by a blue Ford Kuga.
Helen Klich was also a victim of a crash after she died on December 21 after the Kia she was a passenger in collided with a black BMW on the eastbound carriageway of the A5 between the M6 Toll entrance roundabout and Turf roundabout.
The appeal from the unit comes as part of Operation Lightning, Staffordshire Police’s dedicated operation focusing on road safety, helping to make the county’s roads safer.
It aims to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on the roads of Staffordshire and to disrupt and deter criminals from using the road network.
A spokesman for Staffordshire Police Roads Policing Unit said: "45 people died in 42 collisions across the year of 2023 and 34 serious injury collisions that will change lives.
"Day one of 2024 and they are again dealing with a serious collision.
"Drivers attitude needs to change in 2024 and we be clamping down on poor driving."
