Partner of pregnant Frankie Jules Hough killed by speeding driver campaigns to stop more deaths
The grieving partner of a pregnant mum who was killed on the motorway in Greater Manchester, is sharing his story as part of a campaign to prevent more road deaths.
Calvin Buckley lost his partner Frankie Jules Hough, in a road crash on the M66 in Bury in May.
Ms Hough, who was 17-weeks pregnant, died after being hit by a driver who was filming himself speeding at 123mph.
Calvin said: “My world ended that day.
"The week before the collision we'd just had a gender reveal and learnt we were having a daughter.
"I’ve gone from the happiest moments of my life to the worst devastation that I wouldn’t wish on anybody.
"It has had an impact on everyone, two sons have lost a mother, a mother has lost a daughter, a father has lost a daughter, and also Frankie's friends as well."
Backing the road safety campaign, Calvin says in the video, "whether you're a driver or a passenger, you've got a responsibility for your own life or your passengers and the public on the street, so you need to think and value your own life and other people's lives.
"Don't be letting yourself get distracted with your mobile phone - you can answer a text message at a safe time.
“Don’t be using roads as racetracks because it results in people losing their lives.”
Calvin is among a number of families from the North West, sharing their heartbreaking stories of loss, to raise awareness of the dangers of driving for Brake's Road Safety Week.
Over the past decade there has been 133 deaths related to young drivers in our city-region.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) attends road traffic collisions (RTCs) whenever someone is trapped in a vehicle and our firefighters now rescue more people from RTCs than fires.
Most serious road crashes are caused by the ‘Fatal 4’ - when drivers speed, get distracted, drive under the influence of drink or drugs, or they or their passengers fail to wear a seatbelt.
To raise awareness of the ‘Fatal 4’, and the devastating consequences of dangerous driving, Calvin Buckley, Paula Allen, Mike Peters and Ann Marie Hornsby have shared their stories.
Kate Green, Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire, said: "Driving comes with great responsibilities. When you are behind the wheel please think about others, your family, yourself and the potential impacts of your actions.
"We all have a part to play if we are to achieve 'Vision Zero' and eradicate deaths and serious injuries from our roads, and it is important that we recognise that."
Superintendent Gareth Parkin from Greater Manchester Police’s Safer Transport Team said: “As the winter months draw in, more than ever we’re encouraging people to prioritise safety on our roads.
“Throughout Brake’s Road Safety Week officers will be engaging members of the public about the risks of dangerous driving, and a number of traffic operations will be running across Greater Manchester on routes identified as causing high harm.
“As well as committing to safe driving behaviours it is important that we all ensure our vehicles are safe, compliant, and roadworthy.
“Our behaviours and actions on the road today may determine someone else’s tomorrow.”
Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “These deaths with their horrific and far-reaching consequences could be avoided if we took action to make our roads safer, and to ensure drivers took seriously their responsibility at the wheel of vehicles, and the risk they pose if not driven responsibly.
“Greater Manchester's Vision Zero approach will require all of us to work together towards ensuring no deaths or serious injuries on our roads in future - and the terrible experiences highlighted here remind people why this is something we simply have to do.”
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