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Wiltshire drivers to heed the warnings
7:00am Saturday 11th July 2009
Highways Agency officers are urging drivers on the M4 to take heed of warning signs after a crash near Leigh Delamere services.
A BMW driver lost control in lane three, hit the central reservation and ended up upside down.
Although police officers feared for the driver’s life he was cut from his vehicle by fire crews and taken to hospital.
Highway Agency officers shut down all three lanes of the motorway for 15 minutes while the debris was cleared.
But Highways Agency Officer, Sandy Osborough, of the Stanton St Quintin Outstation, said despite clear warnings drivers were swerving across the motorway.
“When a car hits the central reservation there is usually a lot of debris,” he said.
“There are lots of small stones which make up the drainage system and they go everywhere.
“It’s important we clear everything out of the way. We had officers in lanes two and three carrying out their investigation with cars coming at speed down the motorway and swerving to get into lane one.
“Some drivers were coming to a complete stop as they reached the accident.”
This was despite drivers being warned in advance using the new MS4 message boards, which have been installed along the length of the M4, after the crash, which happened just before midnight on Friday, June 26.
Mr Osborough said: “We’ve just spent millions upgrading to the MS4 system. We had three levels of warning up that night.
“There was a 50mph sign with queues ahead, then a lane closed sign followed by a pictogram of a car on its roof. And still we had people having to take evasive action at the last minute.”
He added: “Ninety nine per cent of drivers follow the signs, we know that they are effective. But sometimes people may go on auto pilot.
“The signs are there for a reason and it is in everyone’s safety for drivers to take notice of them.
“As happened with the BMW driver, it only takes a split second before your life is changed forever.”
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Highways Agency officers clearing debris from the M4 after a crash involving a BMW
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rrosco, Chippenham says...
10:45am Sun 12 Jul 09
Cry wolf too often and people won't believe the signs when it is genuine.