Tributes Paid To 13-Year-Old Girl Who Died In Vehicle Crash

West Midlands Police have launched an investigation into what caused a fatal road crash in Bloxwich.

Natasha Whale - a 13-year-old student at Walsall Academy - died when the Renault Clio she was travelling in collided with a coach on Monday (February 24th).

She was with her mother Shelley and 17-year-old brother Callum when the incident occurred.

Callum has been released from hospital, but Shelley remains in a critical condition. None of the children on the bus were injured.

Inspector Paul Bennett, from West Midlands Police, said: "This was a serious collision which has resulted in the tragic death of a young girl and badly injured a woman and another child. We're working hard to understand what led to the collision.

"I would urge anyone who was in the area at the time and who has not yet spoken to us to contact my officers as a matter of urgency."

The accident happened on Valley Road, an area in which residents have previously called for road safety measures to be introduced.

According to BBC News, there was an incident in September when a bus crashed into the garden of a house and some locals believe the road is not suited to large vehicles.

A petition was also started in 2013 calling for lower speed limits in the area.

Beverly Whitehouse, 45, of Valley Road, told the news provider that she hopes the council takes note of their concerns and acts accordingly. Leader of Walsall Council Mike Bird confirmed the local authority would assess the situation.

The number of road accidents resulting in fatalities and serious injuries has fallen across the UK in recent months.

Latest figures from the Department for Transport confirmed that 1,730 people were killed in collisions in the year ending September 2013, which was a two per cent drop on the previous 12 months.

There was a six per cent year-on-year drop when fatalities and serious injuries were combined.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a road traffic accident, our personal injury solicitors team could help to get the compensation, rehabilitation and support you deserve. Visit our Road Traffic Accident Compensation page for more information.

Expert Opinion

This tragic accident is a stark reminder that behind every road safety statistic there is a life lost which has no doubt left family and friends distraught. <br/> <br/>“They will rightly want answers as to what has happened here and will point to the petition about the road as well as previous crashes as potential evidence of a wider issue. <br/> <br/>“The investigations need to identify as soon as possible what went wrong and what – if anything – can be done to improve the area of road to try and prevent further accidents in future.” <br/> Stephen Nye - Partner