Emergency Services are issuing a stark safety reminder to motorists after six people were killed on Nottinghamshire roads in a matter of days.

The tragedies have left families and friends of the victims devastated – and police and fire colleagues are determined to do everything they can to prevent more families experiencing that same heartbreak.

Nottinghamshire Police has a dedicated road safety team whose officers are committed to preventing fatal crashes by targeting their four main causes: speeding, drink or drug-driving, using a mobile phone while driving, and driving without wearing a seatbelt.

And officers are urging drivers to keep the so-called "fatal four" in mind every time they get behind the wheel as these causes often result in the fatality of innocent people.

Investigations are continuing into the four recent road traffic collisions, which happened over five days, resulting in six people's deaths.

Two people tragically died in a crash on the M1 southbound on Thursday 20 January, at around 2.45am causing the motorway to be shut between junction 25 and 26 for over 12 hours.

A 25-year-old woman was also pronounced dead at the scene of another crash in Southwell Road, Oxton, on Wednesday 19 January after a collision between two cars.

Officers attended another fatal crash just five days earlier on Saturday 15 January, in Chesterfield Road North, Mansfield, where a father and his young son died following a crash between three cars.

Another man in his 70s sadly died days after being involved in a road traffic collision on Wednesday 19 January, in Retford Road, Bassetlaw, following a crash between two cars.

Superintendent Claire Rukas, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Our officers so far this year have attended a shocking number of fatal collisions and it is heartbreaking to have to tell someone that their loved one has died as a result of someone being negligent on our roads.

"We know first-hand how devastating it is for families when they get that dreaded knock on the door from a police officer.

" Officers from across the county regularly carry out operations in a bid to take dangerous drivers off our roads, stop drink and drug-drivers in their tracks and apprehend those using a mobile phone at the wheel.

"We will continue to push these kinds of operations and make it perfectly clear if you are found to be breaking the law and placing people's lives at risk you will be arrested and dealt with.

"I would like to personally ask every driver to drive carefully and safely and take all the correct precautions to protect themselves and others.

"By listening to this advice, refreshing your memory or simply just using basic safety advice it could be the difference between life and death – so please take note and help us keep road users safe."

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service often attend road traffic collisions alongside the Police and East Midlands Ambulance Service.

Bryn Coleman, Area Manager of NFRS, and chair of Nottingham's Road Safety Partnership, said: "Our Firefighters attend road traffic collisions to get people to safety following the crash. We have special equipment and use techniques to rescue people trapped in their vehicles.

"Sadly, some road traffic collisions are more serious than others, which is why we want to raise awareness about how dangerous the roads can be.

"We urge people to adhere to the fatal four and we want people to take extra care on the roads to keep themselves and other road users safe to prevent serious collisions, and even fatalities, from happening."