Clarkson criticised for Hammond joke

Road safety campaigners have criticised Jeremy Clarkson for his on-air joke about Richard Hammond's near-death crash.

The Top Gear presenter made the offending statement after the 288mph dragster smash was shown on television for the first time.

Pointing at Hammond, he smiled and said sarcastically, “speed kills” - mocking the Government's road safety campaign.

Dianne Ferreira, of charity Brake, commented: “Jeremy Clarkson said: ‘Speed kills,’ and then pointed at Richard Hammond, as if to say: ‘Speed doesn’t kill.’

“This glamorised speeding. The programme is watched by impressionable young people, many of whom have just passed their test and they are mad about cars. They are easily influenced and remarks like that are very irresponsible and could tempt them to speed.”

Green Party spokesman Robin Harper called for an apology, and added: “The glamorisation of driving at high speeds is unacceptable. People die on our roads every day and speed is often the main culprit."