Gran afraid to let kids play outside after 3 car crashes on 'death trap' street
An elderly woman has been left fearing for her life after three cars crashed into her garden and a biker died following a spate of crashes along her "death trap" street.
Kate Hooper, 93, said drivers have smashed into her property three times in the last three years, and in 2020 a motorcyclist was killed in an accident outside her home. Her son John Hooper, 73, now worries his mum could also die because of people repeatedly driving through her garden fence in Droitwich, Worcestershire.
The first crash into her garden was in May 2020, the second in June 2022 and the most recent last week, on September 12. Retired JCB driver John said his family has repeatedly complained to council highways bosses appealing for traffic calming measures but nothing has been done so far.
The crash site on the corner of Alder Close, where Mrs Hooper lives (Worcester News / SWNS)He says reckless motorists drive an average of 50mph along the 30mph street which has no signage warning drivers of the speed limit. Grandmother-of-ten Mrs Hooper, a retired factory worker, is now too frightened to let her own grandkids play in the garden in case another car crashes into her home.
Dad-of-three and grandfather-of-five John said: "The speed people come along that road is crazy. I'd usually say its like an accident waiting to happen by accidents are happening - so why has nothing been done about it?
Missing radioactive capsule found after huge search - and it's the size of a pea
"We've complained to highways multiple times over the last 12 months but absolutely nothing has changed. They even replied to us to say they didn't believe the road needed traffic calming measures. Well, it clearly does.
"When there's been four accidents in three years, including a fatal one, surely that's enough evidence. I genuinely fear the worst for my elderly mother. The street is an absolute death trap.
Three cars have broken into the garden (John Hooper / SWNS)
The most recent crash was last week (John Hooper / SWNS)"It is having an effect on her because when it happened the other day, and she called, she could barely speak. She was in such a state, and bearing in mind, she's 93.
"It is having an effect on her as she's getting more and more nervous and not wanting to sit in the garden. If she was sitting in her garden and a car crashed through, she would be killed."
Mrs Hooper has lived in the home on the corner of Alder Close for over 50 years but it was only these past three years the family has seen constant crashes. Speeding drivers have been ploughing into the property from Primsland Way, which the family say is in desperate need of road humps or a 20mph limit.
Neighbours also warn their friends to use a footpath, which runs alongside the houses, rather than walk down the dangerous street. John and his brother have been trying to get something done about the stretch of the road for the past year out of fears of another fatal incident or a serious injury.
The fence is directly opposite the site of a fatal motorbike crash in 2020 (Worcester News / SWNS)John, of Worcester, added: "We are angry, all my siblings are, and we are worried about her, the grandchildren and great-grandchildren because if they were in the garden, they would be involved in it as well. It would be serious injury or fatality, and that's why we want to get it sorted.
"The neighbours come out if they see someone with kids or a pram and warn them its not safe to walk along the footpath. People are not safe outside their own homes. The average speed must be 50mph and its a 30mph zone.
"There's no speed limit signs nearby, no sleeping policeman, just nothing to prevent these accidents from happening. It needs to be a 20mph road otherwise this accidents are going to keep on happening. It's not right."
Worcestershire County Council said they were now looking to implement a traffic calming scheme along the road. A council spokesperson said: “We are currently working with the local County Councillor to address concerns raised along Primsland Way. As a result, we will soon be rolling out a traffic calming scheme which includes additional signing and road markings.”
Boy, 3, dies after being left in sweltering car in 34C heat 'throughout the day'
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
