Footage of fatal crash released to urge drivers to look before pulling out

FOOTAGE of a fatal motorcycle collision has been released by the rider’s grieving fiancée in the hope of urging drivers to look twice before pulling out at junctions.

Radoslaw Drzewiecki, 29, was on his way to work in Consett, County Durham, in March last year when the driver of a Vauxhall Meriva pulled out of a junction into his path, causing the fatal impact.

The driver, a 46-year-old woman from Stanley, County Durham, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. She was banned from driving for 18 months and ordered to do 200 hours' community service.

A year on from the collision, Mr Drzewiecki's fiancée, Magdalena Gawel, has taken the decision to release his helmet camera footage of the crash as part of a campaign to encourage drivers to take extra care when pulling out of junctions.

As well as the moment of the collision, the footage shows how Mr Drzewiecki looks left and right several times before himself pulling out of different junction some time before the crash occurred. 

Ms Gawel said: “A year down the line from the collision the pain is still there. It is a pain that has changed from shock to the pain of accepting life without Radek in it.

“I miss him terribly – we did everything together, he had his whole life ahead of him. I have not only lost my future husband but my best friend and my soulmate.

“As a driver, please look twice at junctions. Don’t be in a rush to pull out as rushing costs lives.”

The national campaign, which is being adopted by Cleveland and Durham Special Operations Unit, is encouraging drivers to look out for vulnerable road users when pulling out of junctions.

Sergeant Iain Rodgers, from the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “Every day, 30 bikers are killed or injured at junctions in the UK, with motorcyclists 38 times more likely to be killed in a road traffic accident than motorists – this is something we want to change.

“We’re encouraging motorists to take care at junctions and look out for vulnerable road users, like motorbikes and cyclists. Look twice, as you never know what you might miss.”

The force is also urging motorcyclists to take care when ‘riding socially’.

“These are positive figures which show the number of collisions on the region’s roads have decreased, but we cannot be complacent,” said Sgt Rodgers.

“We take the safety of bikers very seriously as we know how vulnerable they are on our roads, so it’s important they ride safely and defensively.

“We know that the temptation is there to release their throttle, especially on the long stretches of open road, but they need to take care - there are people who love them waiting at home for them to return.”