'Lives are changed forever by dangerous drivers'

A woman has warned against driving dangerously after her husband was killed in a car crash.

Jade Daniels said her partner Tony was killed and she was left with life-changing injuries after they were hit head-on by a car while driving near Bognor Regis in 2024.

Louie Everitt was sentenced to eight years in prison for causing death by dangerous driving, driving uninsured and failing to give permission for a test to see if he was over the limit.

Daniels told BBC South East anyone thinking of driving dangerously should think of the consequences.

She said: "Unless you've been through it, [I don't think] you [can] really understand the ripple effects [it has] across your family and relationships."

It comes as Sussex Police has launched a new specialist policing team aimed at tackling the most dangerous driving offences.

Dubbed the Fatal 5 Unit, officers will be targeting drivers who are speeding, distracted, being careless, not wearing a seatbelt or who are under the influence of drink or drugs.

"If it stops something like what happened to Tony happening again, it's brilliant," said Daniels.

"When you look at the statistics, it's quite shocking".

Forty-five people are killed and almost 1,000 are seriously injured on the roads in Sussex every year, according to police.

Jo Shiner, Sussex Police Chief Constable, told the BBC: "There is definitely an increase in terms of people thinking that they can flout the law whilst they're driving.

"That's what this unit is about," she added, detailing the how force would target areas with higher collision rates and reported offences.

"We all have a part to play in keeping everyone safe on our roads, choosing to make good decisions, and encouraging our friends and family to do the same," Shiner said.

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