“PEOPLE say it was an accident and that accidents happen, but it didn’t feel like an accident. I knew I never meant to do what I did but I was completely responsible for what I did. Having to deal with the guilt which comes through taking a life. It’s almost unbearable”.

These are the repentant words of David, a young driver who pleaded guilty to death by dangerous driving after a fatal smash on the A35 near Lyndhurst in the New Forest in September 2015 and was sentenced to three years in prison and a six-year driving ban.

Speeding was the main cause of the collision.

Now, Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police are encouraging people to watch, listen to and share a YouTube clip of David’s experience and remind motorists there is no such thing as safe speeding.

Sergeant Rob Heard, from the roads policing unit for Hampshire and the Thames Valley, said: “We want people to be able to understand and relate to the fact these are the real consequences. It could very easily happen to you or your loved ones.

“If you speed, you are risking not just yours but other innocent people’s precious lives. It’s simply not worth the risk.”

It is all part of an ongoing campaign highlighting to motorists the risks involved in speeding.

David wants speeding motorists to think about if it all goes wrong on the road.

He said: “I’d think nothing of driving up to 100mph on the motorway or national speed limit looking for some thrills and having a laugh on the road.

“You got to think about what if it goes wrong, because you know I wouldn’t have ended up killing somebody and going to prison all for the sake of overtaking a car.”

He warned: “Look at what’s happened to me, think about what’s happened to me and you know how easily it could happen to you. The smallest, silliest little decision can have such massive life changes, when you least expect it as well. It will change your life forever and that of other people.”

David attempted to overtake six cars on that fatal day when he saw the headlights of another car coming toward him. He tried in vain to pull into a small space behind the leading car but was unable to slow down in time and hit the car, a Honda Jazz, forcing it into the path of another oncoming vehicle which forced it off the road and into a tree.

John Richardson, 82, was the front-seat passenger in the Honda. He suffered life-threatening injuries and died three months later at Southampton General Hospital.

Sgt Heard said: “This has been a very sad case for all of those involved and we are very grateful that through restorative justice both Mr Richardson’s family and David were happy to have this case shared with the determination to highlight and, unfortunately, be a reminder of how dangerous travelling above the speed limits can be. Speeding - it’s not worth the risk.”

Watch David’s story at youtu.be/5lBoMnJcNjo.