Shropshire Star

'Rubbernecking' blamed for Oswestry crashes

Police in Oswestry had to deal with three accidents within 90 minutes on the same stretch of road due to "rubbernecking".

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Oswestry safer neighbourhood team was called to the A5 at 11.40am when a caravan was shunted from behind causing it to overturn. Officers said the incidents snowballed from there.

Police community support officer Charlie Iremonger said: "We have had a car versus a caravan which was shunted from the rear near the Gobowen roundabout.

"That was quickly dealt with but then we had a car which had driven into a coach at 12.15pm at the same location.

"Thankfully there were no injuries. The next one was still on the A5 near to the Lion Quays and was a four-vehicle collision. The road was partially blocked before they were moved to the side of the road. Only two from that crash had minor injuries."

The second incident happened at 11.40am and the final one at 1.05pm.

PSCO Iremonger said he believed the drivers had been "rubbernecking" and not concentrating on the road in front but instead looking at a crash or incident.

He said: "We had the first incident and drivers are slowing down and speeding up.

"Then it has all snowballed.

"It is unfortunate and people not concentrating could be worse. If the traffic was faster it could have been a worse situation."

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