Suzanne Long, of First Drove, said it is "very frightening".

She lives not far from the scene of Wednesday's latest tragedy.

"Nine times out of ten when you are turning off drivers are coming up fast behind. It is very frightening.

"We live close to the Carter's Bridge end and, even if you have your indicator on to turn off, it doesn't seem to matter," she said.

PC Mick McCready, casualty reduction officer with Cambs police, said drivers need to concentrate along the river road and be mindful of what other motorists are doing.

Speaking in general terms and not making any reference to the December or most recent accident, PC McCready said over 97 per cent of crashes are down to mistakes.

A momentary lack of concentration, distraction, inexperience, risk taking or not having the right attitude can lead to fatal consequences.

"People don't do the right things all the time. I don't use that road very often but when I do I am constantly aware there is a deep river running alongside.

"To me, who has had some extra training in driving, I do look at it as a danger and an obvious danger and I think what can I do to minimise that.

"Drive at the right speed. Really, unless you are going really slow, there is no need to overtake – you are not going to save much time.

"Keep both hands on the wheel and concentrate. The problem I am more concerned about is what other drivers are doing.

"I am always looking into the distance to see if anyone is overtaking. If I can see I need to slow down or even stop then I will."

PC McCready said the Forty Foot does not fit the criteria for speed cameras. Between 1995 and 2005 – not including the accident last year involving Dean and Jordan Hawes – there have been three fatalities.

He said flashing speed warning lights, signs and measures to stop overtaking are all options which could be considered – but still depend on drivers taking notice.

"Most of the time destiny is in your hands. If you do the right thing there isn't a problem with the road. The only thing is what other drivers do.

"If you put in barriers and look at the options at the end of the day the main thing is controlling drivers – their behaviour and attitude.

"If we could crack that – but that is the hardest thing to do," he said.

Your safety ideas will go right to top
Readers have come forward with suggestions for improving safety along the road.

The suggestions will be put to a special meeting tomorrow between the Citizen and Cambs County Council road safety chief Russell de Ville.

One reader said the community should pull together to help save lives. She was herself involved in a frightening accident where the car in which she was travelling with her three-year-old child went into deep water and they narrowly escaped drowning.

She travels regularly along the Forty Foot and is concerned about overtaking and the speed of some vehicles.

She has likened the road to being on a par with the notorious A14 and feels speed cameras should at least be installed.

Other measures she suggests are:

» double white lines for no overtaking at the worst blackspots

» more signs warning drivers of the dangers, plus speed cameras

» publishing a 'survival guide' showing what to do if your vehicle goes into the river

» rumble strips alongside the river embankment

» sand/gravel pits to slow down vehicles careering off the road

» special seatbelt cutters to cut through belts in an emergency

"My heart aches for all those who have lost their family/friends in this river, but now I believe that perhaps we should all pull together and make an example of a community helping to save lives," she says.

On the same day as the latest tragedy, her husband was involved in a minor accident with a car coming out on to the river road and he faced the dilemma of avoiding the icy, deep water.

Steve Choppin, of Chatteris, who regularly travels the route has suggested putting in priority "Give Way" blocks along the road.

He feels installing this type of traffic calming could slow down traffic.

Leslie Dixon, who lives on the Forty Foot Road, feels the whole road is a blackspot and not just the Ramsey end.

He backs calls for a reduced speed limit, traffic lights and suggests kerb edgings and a weight limit to stop heavy vehicles.

Dr David Laycock, of Chatteris, endorses calls for a weight restriction and double white lines in the danger areas – near all the junctions and the bend half-way along the Forty Foot.

"Drivers are much less inclined to cross double white lines than to speed," he said.

Dr Laycock also feels a weight restriction on lorries over 3.5 tons would help reduce accidents.

Mel Harpham, of March, is suggesting barriers, but with a different fixing. He suggests a steel screw-type pile.

He said this is manufactured in the UK and is used for supporting phone masts, buildings, traffic lights and other lighting.

The benefit of this is little disturbance of the river bank, the piles could be screwed in at an angle, no concrete is required, they have a long lifespan and can be removed if necessary by unscrewing the pile out of the ground.

He suggests money could be obtained from the National Lottery as it is a community project aimed at saving lives.