THE family of a Redditch teenager killed on the Coventry Highway have launched a campaign to install crash barriers on all of the district’s dual carriageways, asserting that his tragic death could have been prevented had they already been in place.

Oliver Paul Sellers, known as Ollie, died after a two-car collision on the A4023 Coventry Highway in Redditch on May 27.

His family say the 19-year-old – a “fantastic, caring and funny” son to parents Paul and Tracy, and brother to Jarod and Ryan – would still be alive today had crash barriers been in place.

They have now launched a campaign to see them installed on dual carriageways throughout the district, with an online petition attracting more than 1500 signatures in just a few days.

Dad Paul, 47, said: “Ollie’s death was absolutely preventable.

“His life ended far too early when, through no fault of his own, he was tragically killed following a serious car crash.

“He would be alive today if crash barriers were installed. Our focus is to get them installed on every dual carriageway in Redditch.

“There are partial barriers on the Bromsgrove Highway with gaps in them but we want them along the road, the Alvechurch Highway and of course the Coventry Highway.

“The speed of cars on all of these highways is phenomenal. Speeding and a lack of cameras and crash barriers is a recipe for disaster.

“There are people doing 60 and 70 mph and all it takes is just one little slip.

“We have launched this campaign in Ollie’s memory and in just days we have had nearly 2,000 people sign our petition and the MP Rachel Maclean offer her support.

“Hopefully some good will come out of this awful tragedy to ensure that other families do not have to go through this.”

More than 300 people attended Ollie's funeral at the Redditch Crematorium on Friday, June 16, while the family have also raised £2,841 for ‘Brake the Road Safety Charity’ and ‘Touchstones Child Bereavement’.

Their petition for crash barriers has already received 1535 signatures, and the family aim to reach over 2000 to take to Worcestershire Highways.

To sign the petition, visit gopetition.com/petitions/crash-barriers-on-all-redditch-dual-carriageways.html.