The actions of a traffic officer who saved the life of Rich Hatch's father were the inspiration behind his career in policing.

Now at Wiltshire Police's Roads Policing Unit, he has shared the story of what happened. 

In the early 90s  Sgt Hatch's father was involved in a crash and the traffic officer took the time to speak to him and understand what had happened, which ultimately led to the discovery that Rich's father had a blind spot in his vision. 

This was later discovered to have been caused by a brain tumour. 

“The officer saved my father’s life by taking the time to understand why he’d had a collision that he should not really have had,” he said.

“By being thoughtful, treating my father with respect, and understanding that good people make mistakes, he identified that my father had a blind spot in his vision, which, when investigated further, turned out to be a brain tumour.”

It was this contact with a traffic officer which led Sgt Hatch to follow in his footsteps and he has now clocked up nearly 25 years of experience in roads policing.

Currently, the sergeant in charge of the Serious Collision Investigation Team, Sgt Hatch and his team of nine officers investigate the majority of fatal and life debilitating injury collisions which occur in Wiltshire.

More than 3,000 people a year die on roads nationally and in 2023 alone, 255 people were killed or seriously injured in collisions in Wiltshire.

Sgt Hatch urged drivers to think carefully about their driving standards.

“Being convicted of death by dangerous driving can now carry a life imprisonment,  which is the same as the sentence for murder," he said.

“I’d ask all drivers, no matter how experienced they are, to plan their journeys, check their vehicles properly for defects and be courteous to others. We all have to use the roads and being five minutes late for work is far better than being early to your end.”

Wiltshire Police is currently running a 'No Excuse' road safety campaign.

The force is shining a spotlight on road safety with a specific focus on the ‘fatal five’ offences – these are the offences committed by drivers most likely to cause serious injury or death on our roads. 

These are not wearing a seatbelt, speeding, drink and drug driving, careless and dangerous driving and using a mobile phone while behind the wheel.