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| Calls for drivers to put down phones after fatal crash on A303 | Calls for drivers to put down phones after fatal crash on A303 |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Childhood sweethearts Aaron Law and Alex Britton were due to marry six months after the fatal crash | Childhood sweethearts Aaron Law and Alex Britton were due to marry six months after the fatal crash |
| A man whose fiancee died in a road crash caused by a lorry driver using his mobile has urged other motorists to "put their phones down". | |
| Alex Britton, 28, from Hampshire, was one of three people killed after Michal Kopaniarz ploughed into their parked vehicles on the A303, near Andover, in 2021. | Alex Britton, 28, from Hampshire, was one of three people killed after Michal Kopaniarz ploughed into their parked vehicles on the A303, near Andover, in 2021. |
| During his trial, a judge said his use of his mobile phone demonstrated a "lamentable lack of respect... for the safety of other road users". | During his trial, a judge said his use of his mobile phone demonstrated a "lamentable lack of respect... for the safety of other road users". |
| Figures obtained by the BBC show an increase in fixed penalty notices issued to drivers using mobile phones in parts of the south of England. | Figures obtained by the BBC show an increase in fixed penalty notices issued to drivers using mobile phones in parts of the south of England. |
| Aaron Law said he had frequently seen drivers on their mobile phones and it "instantly" made him angry. | Aaron Law said he had frequently seen drivers on their mobile phones and it "instantly" made him angry. |
| "It is hard to explain to someone the impact it can have, if they haven't been through something like this," he said. | "It is hard to explain to someone the impact it can have, if they haven't been through something like this," he said. |
| "I lost the love of my life within moments." | "I lost the love of my life within moments." |
| Michal Kopaniarz ploughed into three parked vehicles on the A303, near Andover | Michal Kopaniarz ploughed into three parked vehicles on the A303, near Andover |
| The police investigation revealed Kopaniarz had been on his phone for seven minutes. | The police investigation revealed Kopaniarz had been on his phone for seven minutes. |
| The 42-year-old was watching a cat video and, moments before the crash, he was entering an address into his sat nav. | The 42-year-old was watching a cat video and, moments before the crash, he was entering an address into his sat nav. |
| Ms Britton's mother Avril Swain said the family were "incensed' when they found out. | Ms Britton's mother Avril Swain said the family were "incensed' when they found out. |
| "Somebody had the arrogance to think they could drive this huge lorry, this huge killing machine, as well as being on their phone," she said. | "Somebody had the arrogance to think they could drive this huge lorry, this huge killing machine, as well as being on their phone," she said. |
| Kopaniarz, from Donnington, Shropshire, was jailed for 12 years after admitting causing death by dangerous driving. | Kopaniarz, from Donnington, Shropshire, was jailed for 12 years after admitting causing death by dangerous driving. |
| He also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice after he was filmed trying to destroy his mobile phone at the roadside. | He also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice after he was filmed trying to destroy his mobile phone at the roadside. |
| Michal Kopaniarz was jailed for 12 years and banned from driving for 10 years after his release from prison | Michal Kopaniarz was jailed for 12 years and banned from driving for 10 years after his release from prison |
| Mr Law was in a relationship with Ms Britton for over a decade and had planned to get married in February 2022. They had two children together, aged three and 17 months. | Mr Law was in a relationship with Ms Britton for over a decade and had planned to get married in February 2022. They had two children together, aged three and 17 months. |
| "Alex was the most understanding mother, gentle, she was devoted, loving," he said. | "Alex was the most understanding mother, gentle, she was devoted, loving," he said. |
| "She would do everything for them. She loved doing arts and crafts with her girls." | "She would do everything for them. She loved doing arts and crafts with her girls." |
| He said telling their three-year-old that "mummy was not coming home" had been "devastating". | He said telling their three-year-old that "mummy was not coming home" had been "devastating". |
| "I miss her every second of the day. We did everything together," he said. | "I miss her every second of the day. We did everything together," he said. |
| Tom Watson, 30 and Tina Ince, 58, both from Southampton, also died in the crash. | Tom Watson, 30 and Tina Ince, 58, both from Southampton, also died in the crash. |
| Ms Britton's car had broken down on the westbound carriageway near Andover, and Mr Watson and Ms Ince had stopped to help. | Ms Britton's car had broken down on the westbound carriageway near Andover, and Mr Watson and Ms Ince had stopped to help. |
| Mr Law and Ms Britton had two children together, aged three and 17 months. | Mr Law and Ms Britton had two children together, aged three and 17 months. |
| Using a hand-held mobile phone or sat-nav while driving is illegal, and any hands-free devices should be fully set up before you drive. | Using a hand-held mobile phone or sat-nav while driving is illegal, and any hands-free devices should be fully set up before you drive. |
| Police still have the power to stop you if they think you have been distracted and the law still applies if you are stopped in traffic or queuing at lights. | Police still have the power to stop you if they think you have been distracted and the law still applies if you are stopped in traffic or queuing at lights. |
| The government has increased the penalty points received to six, plus a £200 fine. | The government has increased the penalty points received to six, plus a £200 fine. |
| The BBC submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request about the number of fixed penalty notices issued to drivers using a mobile phone. | The BBC submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request about the number of fixed penalty notices issued to drivers using a mobile phone. |
| Wiltshire Police issued 1,457 fixed penalty notices (FPN) in 2024, up from 552 in 2022. | Wiltshire Police issued 1,457 fixed penalty notices (FPN) in 2024, up from 552 in 2022. |
| Surrey Police issued 1,930 fines in 2024, up from 891 in 2022. | Surrey Police issued 1,930 fines in 2024, up from 891 in 2022. |
| Sussex Police issued 620 notices last year, up from 403 issued three years before. | Sussex Police issued 620 notices last year, up from 403 issued three years before. |
| Dorset Police, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police did not provide the data on the grounds of cost. | Dorset Police, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police did not provide the data on the grounds of cost. |
| Tina Ince, Alex Britton and Tom Watson died in the crash near Andover | Tina Ince, Alex Britton and Tom Watson died in the crash near Andover |
| I was invited to go out with Surrey Police on one of their operations targeting drivers using hand-held mobile phones. | I was invited to go out with Surrey Police on one of their operations targeting drivers using hand-held mobile phones. |
| In under two hours the team caught 11 drivers using their mobile phones. | In under two hours the team caught 11 drivers using their mobile phones. |
| The operation involved one of the officers wearing plain clothes and cycling up and down a cycle path to monitor drivers in slow moving traffic. | The operation involved one of the officers wearing plain clothes and cycling up and down a cycle path to monitor drivers in slow moving traffic. |
| PC Chris Wright said: "We spend a lot of time in town centres like Guildford, Farnham, Reigate, and Dorking. | PC Chris Wright said: "We spend a lot of time in town centres like Guildford, Farnham, Reigate, and Dorking. |
| "Mobile phones are a distraction. Modern cars have Bluetooth and are hands-free. | "Mobile phones are a distraction. Modern cars have Bluetooth and are hands-free. |
| "My advice is put the phone in a glove box or a handbag, away from temptation. | "My advice is put the phone in a glove box or a handbag, away from temptation. |
| "These distraction offences mean the slightest thing can cause a distraction and can have devastating consequences." | "These distraction offences mean the slightest thing can cause a distraction and can have devastating consequences." |
| Surrey Police's RoadSafe team run regular operations to target drivers using mobile phones | Surrey Police's RoadSafe team run regular operations to target drivers using mobile phones |
| Ms Swain, Alex Britton's mother, said: "It was catastrophic what happened, to Alex, and the two good Samaritans who came to help her. | Ms Swain, Alex Britton's mother, said: "It was catastrophic what happened, to Alex, and the two good Samaritans who came to help her. |
| "Alex is missed so much every day. It is just a huge loss for her children to lose their mother at such a young age. | "Alex is missed so much every day. It is just a huge loss for her children to lose their mother at such a young age. |
| "She was only 28. It wasn't like she was ill. She was here one day and gone the next, we didn't even get to say goodbye." | "She was only 28. It wasn't like she was ill. She was here one day and gone the next, we didn't even get to say goodbye." |
| Kopaniarz was told by a judge his "deliberate and unconscionable decision" to dispose of his phone, was the "action of a desperate man trying to minimise your culpability". | Kopaniarz was told by a judge his "deliberate and unconscionable decision" to dispose of his phone, was the "action of a desperate man trying to minimise your culpability". |
| The court heard how the lorry driver, originally from Poland, had written a note to the families expressing his "gut-wrenching regret". | The court heard how the lorry driver, originally from Poland, had written a note to the families expressing his "gut-wrenching regret". |
| The judge told him he would be banned from driving for 10 years after his release from prison. | The judge told him he would be banned from driving for 10 years after his release from prison. |
| You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. | You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. |