Mike and Jan Embling have suffered every parent's worst nightmare - the death of their beloved son in a motorbike crash.

There may be a few fatal accidents that can not be avoided, but many could be, and Oxfordshire's road deaths toll of 47 - more than one a week - is shockingly high.

Mr and Mrs Embling have appealed to drivers to cut their speed and do everything they can to be safer on the roads.

Every driver should take heed - because it could be you or a loved one who is involved next time round.

The police, firefighters, and road safety officers at the county council care passionately about reducing the number of deaths on our roads.

Staff working for the emergency services see on a regular basis the heartache caused by careless or dangerous driving on the county's roads.

They have outlined the basic steps that motorists can take to ensure the safety of drivers, pedestrians and motorcyclists, and everyone who gets behind the wheel has a responsibility to help.

You can start by switching off your mobile phone before you get into the car, wearing your seatbelt, and driving within the speed limit.

If everyone makes an effort to drive more safely, then hopefully the number of tragic deaths will fall.