I've lost five friends... we need drivers to be better

CYCLIST BACKS MAIL CAMPAIGN TO BRING IN LIFETIME BAN ON RECKLESS MOTORISTS

- JANE HAYNES People & Politics Editor

A BIRMINGHAM cyclist has spoken of the five friends and relations killed while on the road because of catastrophic ‘mistakes’ by motorists.

Philip Sutton, a recently-retired lawyer, warned nothing will change without lifelong bans and punishments that properly deter bad driving.

All five were cycling on the roads when they were killed.

He believes none of them would have died if drivers had been fully paying attention and obeying the rules of the road.

In memory of his lost friends and relations, he is supporting the Birmingham Mail’s call for lifetime bans for reckless motorists who kill or maim other road users.

In three of the deaths, drivers were prosecuted and convicted. In the other two, the police took no action against the driver.

All of the motorists are free to continue driving in future.

But in every case there was an avoidable element, Philip believes.

"Drivers may say there was nothing they could do, but that is rarely true. Drivers who tailgate cyclists and who overtake without giving space make it so there is no chance if anything happens."