Road deaths have been relentless, say police

Adam Pipe said drug-driving was a "massive" issue in Essex

The volume of deaths on Essex's roads in 2025 has been "relentless", police have said.

Crashes have killed 48 people since the turn of the year, almost matching the 50 total for 2024.

Three of those fatalities happened within nine hours on Saturday, during separate incidents in Tiptree, Clacton-on-Sea and Leigh-on-Sea.

"It has been one of the most exceptionally challenging years I can remember for a very long time," said Adam Pipe, head of roads policing at Essex Police.

He cited drug-driving, speed and carelessness as the biggest problems seen on the county's highways.

Two men in their 20s died after a collision on the A130 on 1 September

More than 1,000 people have been arrested for drug-driving in 2025, a challenge Mr Pipe branded "a huge problem".

"We cannot underestimate this massive, big issue that's impacting on road safety," he added.

Campaigners at South Essex Roads Partnership have been working towards eliminating all deaths and serious injuries on the county's roads by 2040.

They said the worst day in its history happened in February, when six young people died in crashes within 14 hours.

"It is relentless," Mr Pipe added.

(Clockwise from top left) University of Essex students Eva Darold-Tchikaya, TJ Hibbert, Makyle Bayley and Daljang Wol were killed in a crash in February

Twenty-five of the 48 deaths on Essex's roads in 2025 have been sent to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider charging drivers.

"These are not, in most cases, an accident - there is a behaviour behind it," Mr Pipe continued.

He said 48 families had been robbed of "waking up and saying goodbye to someone" they loved.

Essex Police is due to trial cameras that use artificial intelligence to spot drivers not wearing seatbelts and using their mobile phones.

"We've got to change minds and change behaviours," Mr Pipe said.