After 2006's grim death toll on our roads broke a record for all the wrong reasons, two fatal accidents in quick succession have shown that 2007 could prove to be just as bad as last year.

It seemed a week didn't go by in 2006 without a fatality on the county's roads, resulting in its terrible toll of 68.

And, our statistics for the first quarter of this year have fared no better, with nine deaths against last year's 10 - but in the same number of incidents.

The old adage goes there's no such thing as a bad road, only bad driving, and, with that in mind, the police are appealing to motorists for common sense on our roads.

Without speculating on the cause of the recent deaths, the police suggest young drivers consider an extra course that would not only make them better drivers, but also reduce their insurance premiums.

Special mention was also made to motorcyclists. Motorists need to be aware that it is this time of year, at the first sight of sunshine, when keen motorcyclists dust down their bikes from their garages and set out to enjoy a ride on our wide open rural roads, where for them tragedy can lurk round every corner, as shocking statistics on biker deaths have proved.

With the use of mobile phones now an offence, hopefully that will also add to reducing the death toll, but worryingly, the important message of wearing seatbelts is still not getting through, and many are killed for simply not buckling up.

Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership say that although the fatality rate was worrying, on the current statistics we may be looking at 33 deaths this year - not 68, like 2006.

That's still another 24 families that will be left heartbroken in the next 12 months.