Police and crime commissioner, Stephen Bett, is urging drivers to stay safe on the roads over the Easter weekend after a recent spate of tragedies.

So far this year, 13 lives have been lost on the county's roads and Mr Bett is calling on motorists to drive with care over the bank holiday weekend.

Mr Bett said: 'I consider road safety to be an important matter – as does the chief constable. After the spate of tragic incidents earlier in the month, I asked him to keep me closely informed as to the progress of the inquiries. We have yet to have the reports and inquests into the separate incidents which will seek to establish the circumstances and cause of death in each case. But discussions I have had point to the weather and road conditions being a factor.'

He said he was concerned about the safety of people driving in Norfolk with the Easter weekend approaching and the cold weather set to stay.

Mr Bett said he had been inundated emails and letters from people expressing their concerns about road safety.

'People are contacting me to express their concerns about speeding and careless driving in their villages and towns,' he added. 'The Chief Constable, not me, is charged in law with being responsible for the day-to-day policing service... We've agreed a target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.'

The target is to reduce the number of collisions in which people are killed or seriously injured to no more than 345 in the year 2014/15.

lucy.wright@archant.co.uk