FIREFIGHTERS, police, ambulance and highways officers teamed up for a special road safety campaign day to highlight the importance of taking care on the motorway.

The event was held at Sedgemoor Services as the various agencies are frequently called out to crashes on the stretch of the M5 between Burnham and Taunton.

Chris Jones, Minehead station manager for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue, said: "On the stretch of M5 between Burnham and Taunton, the fire service has been called to 42 incidents in the past 12 months."

Mr Jones explained that the main factors in these crashes were poor lane discipline, distraction and inappropriate speed.

"Fourteen of the collisions were caused by inappropriate speed. This may not necessarily mean the person is speeding, it could be that they were driving to fast in adverse weather conditions," he said.

"If it is raining drivers need to take into account that visibility will be severely reduced while braking distances double."

Dave Adams, road traffic officer for Avon and Somerset police said that the day was not about catching people out.

"It is about making people safer. This stretch of road has a high percentage of collisions per mile, and being called out these incidents also puts a significant strain on our resources, preventing us from doing other police work," Mr Adams said.

He said he wanted drivers not to see other traffic just as car, lorries and motorbikes but as other human beings, saying it was important for road users to 'look out for each other'.

The team were on hand to provide helpful advice and tips on all aspects of road safety from tyre maintenance to the importance of taking breaks.

Road safety officer Rina Cameron said fatigue can really be a factor when it comes to long journeys.

"It is important to stay hydrated, a lack of water can make you tired without you noticing.

"If you are yawning and find yourself blinking a lot, you need to stop at the next services – it is not effective or safe just to open the window or turn up the radio," she said.

"When you park up at the services, park further away – the walk will allow you to get your circulation going."

Cllr David Fothergill, Somerset County Council’s cabinet member for Highways, said: “I’m always shocked by the statistic that speeding is a factor in a third of all crashes.

"That to me is a clear message that we can all take simple steps – such as slowing down – to improve road safety for ourselves and others."