July 23, 2020 11.03 am This story is over 49 months old

14 people died in Lincolnshire crashes since June

Crashes increased as lockdown restrictions eased
| Photo: Humberside Police

Fourteen people have died on Lincolnshire’s roads since June, with the number of crashes increasing over recent weeks as coronavirus restrictions have eased.

In June, seven people died in or following crashes in the county. So far in July, seven people have lost their lives on the roads, including women in Louth and Barrowby and a man in his fifties in the village of Toft.

The spike in collisions where people have been seriously or fatally injured has coincided with the ease of coronavirus restrictions and an increase in vehicles back on the roads.

Lincolnshire Police are investigating the cause of each collision and additional officers are patrolling the roads concentrating on the ‘fatal 4’ – drink/drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt, mobile phone use whilst driving, and speeding.

Pat Coates, Chief Inspector at Lincolnshire Police. Photo: Steve Smailes for Lincolnshire Reporter

Chief Inspector Pat Coates said: “It is not yet possible to say what caused or had an effect in causing some of these collisions because our investigations are still ongoing, but what we do know for sure is the devastating effect losing a loved one in a collision can have.

“We need people to take care on the roads. Lockdown measures have eased and we’ve seen traffic increasing so it’s even more imperative that people drive in a safe and considerate manner.

“We are doing all we can to try and make sure that nobody has that knock on their front door from a police officer who is there to deliver news that can change their life, and not for the better.”

Meanwhile, Lincolnshire Police took part in the national seatbelt campaign during the first 11 days of July.

During the two week campaign 27 seatbelt fines were issued – 24 were given to men and three to women.

Of those, 20 were issued for drivers failing to wear their seatbelts, five to passengers and two to drivers for children not being restrained.

The force also launched its latest Roads Policing Plan this summer.