A COUNCILLOR has urged drivers who race each other at high speed on busy Bradford roads to think about the safety of themselves and other road users.

Councillor Mohammed Shafiq said lessons had to be learned after lives were lost in accidents in the city.

He was speaking after at least two people were injured in a four-vehicle smash in Leeds Road, Thornbury, near the junction with Wensleydale Road, at about 12.40am on Tuesday.

A 22-year-old Bradford man was taken to Leeds General Infirmary with internal injuries, and a 21-year-old Bradford man was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary with a broken collarbone and ankle injuries.

The vehicles involved were a blue BMW M5, a grey Audi A4, a silver Vauxhall Corsa, and a white Volvo lorry.

Witnesses told how cars had been racing along Leeds Road, using both sides of the carriageway.

The incident happened close to the scene of a fatal accident in February. Michael McDermott, 70, died after his mobility scooter was hit by a black Seat Leon.

The force of the impact hurled Mr McDermott 15 feet into the road and left his scooter embedded in the front of the car.

Three men were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. A 34-year-old has since been released without charge. Two men, aged 22 and 21, are on bail pending further inquiries.

Other fatalities include the death of Saliq Malik. The 15-year-old was a passenger in a Volkswagen Golf car which went out of control in Gilpin Street, Barkerend, last September. Witnesses said the car was travelling at high speed and the driver fled.

In December 2008, four young men died when their turbocharged Subaru Impreza crashed into Killinghall Fisheries, in Killinghall Road, Laisterdyke, and was engulfed in flames. The stolen car had evaded police on several occasions that night.

West Yorkshire Police was unable to comment yesterday about the issue of cars racing each other, or that Tuesday's incident had been captured on the lorry driver's dashboard camera.

Inspector Joanne Field, of Roads Policing Support, said inquiries into the Leeds Road incident were continuing and appealed to anyone who saw the white Audi A7 and blue BMW M5 driving along Leeds Road towards Bradford, minutes before the collision, to get in touch.

She said recent speed check operations had been carried out in Leeds Road and urged witnesses to contact PC Cummins at the Safer Roads and Neighbourhood Support team on 101.

Cllr Shafiq (Lab, Bradford Moor) said the latest accident could have taken the life of a passerby.

"It begs the question as to why the people who were racing took such a huge risk without taking into account the safety of themselves and pedestrians and other road users," he said.

"It is fortunate that it happened in the early hours of the morning. There is a school, a mosque and shops nearby and it could have been catastrophic if it had happened in the daytime."

He said he would meet Council officers to consider what action could be taken.

"The difficulty is how we engage with young people for them to understand that what they are doing is extremely bad, both for themselves and others they put at risk. They have to learn that it only takes a few seconds for a life to be lost," he added.