A driver killed my parents – attitudes to speeding need to change


Claire’s anger at the driver who killed her parents is palpable as she speaks to the BBC in her new house in south west London.

“The fact anyone could be so selfish just shocks me today,” she said.

She would like her story to make people to think carefully about how they drive.

“We need to see a cultural change in how we approach speeding and road safety in general,” she said.

“When we talk about speeding we kind of dismiss it, people say ‘oh god, a speeding fine’. They kind of shrug their shoulders and it’s almost like it’s socially acceptable. But it shouldn’t be.”

“A few seconds is all it takes. My life is completely changed because of it.”

“Speeding, even for a few seconds it’s not worth it – get to your destination five minutes later,” she said.

“If you are caught speeding and you go on a speed awareness course, or get your 3 points on your licence, take it really seriously and learn from that. And if you can’t learn from it, then you shouldn’t be driving.”

Chief Inspector Craig West of Kent Police’s Roads Policing Unit urged motorists to observe the highway code, particularly in poor weather conditions.

“We remind road users that stopping distances double in wet weather and can be up to 10 times greater in snow and ice. Please drive responsibly, especially as the winter weather sets in,” he said.


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