Morning:
6°c
One of Damilola Taylor's killers was back behind bars today - only 16 days after being released from jail. Ricky Preddie (pictured left) was recalled to prison last night after breaching the terms of his parole
More...
Driver killed in head-on crash as two police cars test new speed camera
Last updated at 22:52pm on 11.11.06
A motorist has been killed and his wife seriously hurt in a head-on crash involving a police car testing a speed camera device on a narrow country road.
The police car involved in the accident was being tailed by another, a Volvo, fitted with a VASCAR device, designed to calculate the speed of the vehicle in front.
The Lancashire officers are understood to have been evaluating the device, which the force has not used before.
As the two marked police cars rounded a bend in broad daylight, the lead vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a VW Touran.
The VW's driver, retired academic Peter Williams, 67, suffered severe chest and leg injuries and died in hospital the following day.
His 64-year-old wife Jean suffered multiple fractures and is still in hospital. Her condition is described as comfortable.
The couple had been driving from their home in Bolton-le-Sands, Lancashire, to enjoy a weekend break in the Yorkshire Dales.
The driver of the police car involved in the crash, who has been suspended from duty while an independent investigation is carried out, sustained internal bruising and his colleague a broken leg.
Fatal accidents involving police cars are rising at an alarming rate. Forty-eight members of the public died last year - 32 of them in high-speed chases. That compares with nine deaths in 1997, according to figures from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
This latest tragedy happened on the afternoon of Thursday, November 2, on the narrow B6254 between the villages of Arkholme and Over Kellet, near Lancaster. Residents say it is a well-known blackspot where a number of high-speed accidents have occurred.
The rural road has a series of sudden dips which obscure the view of drivers. Yesterday, skid marks were clearly visible at the spot where Mr Williams was fatally injured.
Lancashire Police refused to say why the camera was being tested on an accident-prone minor road rather than a motorway where conditions are safer.
A spokesman for the IPCC, which is investigating the accident, said both police drivers had completed advanced driving courses.
He added: "This was a tragic incident. Our investigation will be thorough and will look to determine exactly what the circumstances were surrounding this collision."
In a statement last night, Mr Williams's sons Brian, a university lecturer, and Geoff, a Methodist minister, said their father would be 'greatly missed'.
They said he had died with his family at his side in the intensive care unit of Lancaster Royal Infirmary, where Mrs Williams was superintendent radiographer until her retirement.
The statement continued: "Peter will be greatly missed by his wife Jean, to whom he had been married for 43 years, and by his sons, his five grandchildren, his extended family and his many friends. He was a kind and generous man with a terrific sense of humour.
"While we are attempting to cope with the loss of Peter, we would also wish to express our concern for the welfare of the police officers involved in the accident.
"We recognise that police driving training on public roads is necessary and can never be entirely risk-free. However, we would hope that the results of the investigation would reduce the likelihood of such an event re-occurring."
Mrs Williams is a prayer leader at Lancaster Free Methodist Church while her son Geoff is minister at a Methodist church in Penwortham, Preston.
Mr Williams was head of Lancaster University's biological sciences workshop before taking early retirement nine years ago.
A neighbour said: "They were a delightful couple. They did everything together and going away to the countryside for a weekend was one of their delights."
Reader views (11)
To say these drivers had completed an advanced driving course only makes the situation worse. It means that they had no excuse for driving at 104mph as stated on the TV today as they had been trained to recognise the dangers. I have driven many times along this road and even without the benefit of an advanced driving course I can recognise that to drive at twice the speed limit of this road is very dangerous. In fact if the speed stated on the BBC news is correct these drivers are certinally not fit to be in charge of high powered police cars and should probable serve a term in jail to allow them to reflect on there selfish stupidity.
- Walt Heywood, Middleton, Lancashire, 16/09/2008 14:44
Report abuse
Obviousley a tragic incident, however if it was not for the rising level of car thieves etc, resulting in police persuits none of this would be necessary.
Which would you rather have:- A 16 year old male racing around you home area with no experience and no skill at devestation speeds
OR
Police that are actually trained and have the technology to stop such drivers!
This country generally seems very much anti-police, think where will you end up if they have no power to protect you! Different matter when you need them?
- Ben, UK, 31/01/2008 00:55
Report abuse
Bill, the reason we're all jumping down their throats is because there can be little doubt that the police were speeding, to have caused such a serious accident.
Furthermore, had they not been 'testing' their new toy on the public roads, then the accident could not have occurred at all!
I also find this assertion that the drivers had completed advanced driving courses a complete red herring - if the rest of us get caught speeding or causing an accident, our driver training/experience makes no difference to our case, when it comes to court.
The attitude displayed by the IPCC suggests they're already assuming that if there was an error, then it wasn't the police drivers to blame.
Much easier to blame the dead civilian driver, who can make no defence.
- Paul Smith, Northampton, UK, 11/12/2006 08:34
Report abuse
Seems to me that although the police may state facts like "the officers involved were experienced in advanced driving", such statments only mean that prior to this incident they have completed a course in driving skills and have to date not had a serious accident. I firmly believe that testing of equipment should not be undertaken on public roads. How can it possibly be justified when the people it is supposed to be saving are the victims? Someone or ones, should be responsible for the premature death of an innocent.
- Dave, Edinburgh, 17/11/2006 01:43
Report abuse
Without doubt a tragedy for all concerned, but where does it state that the Police Officers were to blame? Calls for prosecutions and hang them out to dry seem a little premature.
- Bob Young, Evesham. UK., 14/11/2006 13:18
Report abuse
How about waiting for the results of the investigation before jumping down the police's throat?
- Bill, Bristol, 14/11/2006 12:45
Report abuse
The Police may be trained, but that doesn't mean they never make mistakes. Sounds like the boys in blue were having a bit of high speed fun with a new toy and got it wrong.
Also, they may be trained, but they are the Police. We're not talking rocket scientists here are we. If they could do the job properly, why are they being replaced by machines?
- Tim, Devon, England, 14/11/2006 12:42
Report abuse
Another example of the relentless persecution of the motorist by the nanny state actually taking lives rather than saving them. Speed kills they say, but actually this is nonsense - bad driving kills.
- Freddie, London, UK, 14/11/2006 12:35
Report abuse
Yet again we will see the police drivers suspended on full pay while an investigation is carried out followed by reinstatement with no action taken against them. And the police wonder why we are losing respect for them.
- Charles Miller, Aberdeenshire, 14/11/2006 11:37
Report abuse
Both the drivers involved in this killing should be charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
They should not be exempt from the consequences of their actions just because they are police officers. Indeed, their position and qualifications make their decision to carry out this dangerous proceedure in such an unsuitable location all the more reckless.
- David, Hornchurch England, 14/11/2006 01:05
Report abuse
I have great admiration for these people. Even when their loved one has been lost, they still show concern for the police officers involved. This is the spirit of Christianity which is so sadly missing in today's world.
My prayers are with them at their most sad loss.
- Malcolm, nottingham England, 11/11/2006 23:26
Report abuse
