Peterborough dad nearly paralysed in crash urges drivers to stay safe on the roads

A Peterborough father is warning city motorists to take extra care on the roads this winter after he was nearly paralysed in a car crash.
Vehicles assemble at the start of the road safety campaignVehicles assemble at the start of the road safety campaign
Vehicles assemble at the start of the road safety campaign

A Peterborogh father is warning city motorists to take extra care on the roads this winter after he was nearly paralysed in a car crash.

Phil Hayes, suffered life-threatening injuries when his car flipped and rolled several times - landing on its roof in a ditch, where he was left trapped and hanging upside down. Magpas Air Ambulance flew hospital level care to Phil and as a result, instead of being left paralysed, Phil was able to take his first steps just over 3 weeks later and has since made a great recovery.Now Phil has joined a county wide campaign to keep Cambridgeshire’s roads safe.

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This week he was joined by emergency services and businesses at Huntingdon at the launch of the campaign.

Vehicles assemble at the start of the road safety campaignVehicles assemble at the start of the road safety campaign
Vehicles assemble at the start of the road safety campaign

Phil said: “I feel like I’m the luckiest person alive. We all know we’ve got to get to places and we’ve all done it when we’re rushing, keeping our eyes on the clock - but it’s that sort of behaviour that we need to change. It’s doesn’t matter if you’re late for an appointment, what really matters is that you keep yourself alive. I will be forever grateful for the excellent work of Magpas Air Ambulance.”

An impressive visual vehicle and people power spectacle took place on Monday as five trucks, three trailers, three buses, one fire engine, three rapid response vehicles, cars and an air ambulance all converged in the name of one vital cause. The idea was to help raise awareness by encouraging as many fleet vehicles as possible to sport a sticker which highlights the five most common factors in road traffic accidents. These five factors are: speeding, using a mobile phone whilst driving, not wearing a seatbelt, being under the influence whilst behind the wheel and driving too close to the car in front.

Magpas Air Ambulance Dr Nathan Howes said: “At Magpas Air Ambulance, we would never wish for anyone to be involved in a road traffic accident. However, if they are, thanks to public support we can continue to deliver the highest level of pre-hospital emergency medical care (PHEM) to them, in their ultimate time of need. Today is an inspirational and educational example of how we can collectively reach out to members of the community and encourage companies to display these stickers on their vehicles. We want to prevent accidents and stop the next generation of drivers from dying on our roads.”

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Police Constable Jon Morris, casualty reduction officer at Cambridgeshire Constabulary, explained: “One of the most difficult things a police officer has to do is pass the terrible news to someone that a loved one has died in a road traffic collision. All too often these collisions occur on the roads we all share, regardless of the nature of our journey.

Vehicles assemble at the start of the road safety campaignVehicles assemble at the start of the road safety campaign
Vehicles assemble at the start of the road safety campaign

“The safety of road users is something very close to my heart, having supported so many families over a number of years, who have suffered a tragic loss in a traffic collision. This initiative demonstrates how members of the community can come together, with a common objective, to reduce the number of casualties on our roads and make everyone’s journey safer.”

Area Commander Chris Parker, in charge of community fire safety at Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service said: “Making our roads safer to travel on is a key element of our community safety activity. We work alongside colleagues from the police, county councils, the Highways Agency and others to take a collaborative approach towards reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“Despite our best efforts the challenge is increasing, so we are looking at more innovative ways to help reduce the amount of collisions we see on our road network. Working with local businesses that have vehicles travelling regularly across the county allows us to spread these important safety messages to motorists. Seeing these bumper stickers will hopefully lead them to think about changing their behaviour and drive that little bit safer.”