Husband and wife catch more than 100 speeding motorists after man dies in crash outside their home

A husband and wife caught more than 100 speeding drivers with their speed cameras after a series of accidents outside their home.

Matt and Sarah Jones set up a community speed watch group in Cross-in-Hand, East Sussex, in September last year after becoming fed up with motorists not obeying the speed limit outside their home.

The couple, along with councilor Naz Mian, spent hours monitoring traffic around the small village; Instead of points, speeders were given letters advising them to reduce their speed.

In just a few months, they found more than 100 drivers speeding; The highest speed recorded in a 30 mph zone was 50 mph.

The initiative started as an online awareness group, and the Cross-in-Hand Community Speedwatch group later emerged as an extension of this campaign.

Ms Jones was motivated to take action within her local community following a fatal crash outside her home in October 2024.

A lorry traveling north on the A267 collided with a black Ford Focus in the southbound lane. It was announced that the 32-year-old driver of the Ford died at the scene.

A local couple, David Evans (55) and his wife Linda (48), were killed when they collided with a drunk driver on the same road on September 9, 2017.

In just a few months, the pair found more than 100 drivers speeding; The highest speed recorded in a 30 mph zone was 50 mph.

Despite their success, Ms Jones said drivers often made ‘unpleasant rude hand gestures’ through their windows when they saw the group.

The 47-year-old PR consultant said: ‘We are both lucky enough to go out and have this session between us on a weekly basis and sometimes together.

‘It’s in my heart to make this road safer.

‘The fact that we have the time to do this as a couple is the least we can do and it feels great to be able to work with the district council.’

He added: ‘We often have drivers making unpleasant rude hand gestures from the window because we are there.

‘Many don’t know they’ve been caught. But that didn’t stop us. We continue to do this.’

Company director Mr Jones, 51, said: ‘This is something we’ve done together to raise community awareness. I’m just doing my best to support him.

‘I enjoy doing this; It’s not very difficult. You do it for half an hour and it doesn’t take up most of your day.

‘I’ve become a lot more aware of my driving since we started doing this.’

David Evans, 55, and his wife Linda, 48, were killed instantly when a drink driver’s car crashed into their car on the A267.

The trio launched the Cross-in-Hand Community Speedwatch with Heathfield and Waldron District Council in September 2025 and are supported by Sussex Police.

In order to operate properly, they receive their equipment from the Parish Council, including fast guns, high visibility and ways to document what the vehicle is.

Ms Jones said the Cross-in-Hand Community Speedwatch group was developed as an extension of this campaign.

He said: ‘We came on board very quickly because there had been a road accident outside my house and I set up the A267 Road Safety Campaign, which has made the road safer from Mayfield Roundabout to Horam.

‘The road is notorious for accidents and speed is a big problem.

‘One of the things we could do to reduce speeding incidents was community speed monitoring.’

Mr Jones added: ‘Where we live is a hotspot for accidents. Speed ​​is your enemy and most accidents here are caused by excessive speed.’

The trio work together on a weekly basis and have been welcomed by locals.

Since then, they have caught 100 speeding vehicles and monitored more than 3,000 vehicles. They also caught people driving without insurance and tax.

Matt and Sarah spent hours watching traffic around their little village

Sarah said: ’95 per cent of drivers who receive a community speed watch letter do not re-offend over the next 12 months.

‘You are given a warning, not a punishment. ‘People see us and they slow down.’

Sarah said the group wanted to recruit more people to prevent future tragedies on the roads.

He added: ‘The more people we have in the team, the more we can do. We’re committed to continuing the session and it’s great to support what the community is doing.

‘People driving over the speed limit is a problem across the UK.

‘There may not be a stronger police force in the country and there may not be speed cameras around here, so being able to do it this way is really important.

‘It’s a really good way to work at a community level.

‘If, as a member of the community, I can help highlight the need for road safety and raise awareness, that would be quite interesting.’

Inspector Vicki Rees, of Sussex Police, said: ‘We know that more than forty people are killed and more than a thousand people are seriously injured on our roads in Sussex each year.’