'He killed my son': Family's plea as police launch festive crackdown on drink driving

Adam Afsar, 34, and his best friend Jason Wilby, 27, died in 2018 when the car Adam was driving was hit by another car going the wrong way down a slip road of the M62 at the Chain Bar roundabout in Bradford.

The driver of the other car was found to be twice the legal limit for alcohol and had also taken cocaine following a night out.

Adam’s mother, Christine, and 15-year-old daughter, Miley, have chosen to share the devastating impact Adam’s death continues to have on their family in the hope it may encourage others to think twice this festive season.

Christine said: “He would do anything for anybody. If anybody needed anything then he was there at the drop of a hat.

“He killed my son and his best, and he got out of the car with a broken wrist. It doesn't matter how angry you are or how determined you are to get home, phone somebody to pick your up. Leave your car at home.”

It comes as West Yorkshire Police launches its annual Christmas drink drug drive awareness campaign.

Throughout December, Roads Policing Officers will be stepping up patrols and reminding people of the potentially fatal consequences of driving while under the influence.

As part of the campaign, officers have again shared some of the poor excuses they hear from drivers to try to justify why they were driving over the limit.

Chief Inspector James Farrar, head West Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit said: “Each year we hear the same excuses: ‘I only had a couple’, ‘I wasn’t going far’, ‘I haven’t had a drink since last night’.

“Ultimately there can never be any justification for getting behind the wheel under the influence of drink or drugs. The consequences can include a fine, a driving ban or a prison sentence. Most importantly, you might have to live with the knowledge that you have seriously injured or killed an innocent person due to the choices you made.

“The lasting impact on Adam’s family is truly heart-breaking to see, and I would like to thank them for supporting our campaign in the hope it might make somebody else think twice.”

Members of the public are encouraged to help keep the roads safe this Christmas by reporting anyone they suspect of driving under the influence of drink or drugs - you can find the reporting form here.

You can also contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously here or by calling 0800 555 111. Please always call 999 in an emergency if a crime is in progress or there is a danger to life.

The campaign supports the West Yorkshire Vision Zero aim to reduce all road deaths and serious injuries in the county to zero by 2040.