IT happened some years ago but the images still haunt me so much that, when they pop into my brain, I quickly suppress them and concentrate instead on a happy event.

In my job, it’s a useful thing to be able to do, though it does require some practice and considerable mental effort.

It was a summer evening, the light was good and there was a refreshingly cool breeze. The phone rang and our emergency receptionist informed me that the police had requested my immediate attendance at a road traffic collision (RTC).

She gave me the exact location, the incident number and off I trotted. Or rather drove. You never quite know what to expect with this type of call. Naturally, you tend to drive there as carefully as possible. It makes you realise you don’t wish to be the next statistic, so complete concentration is the key. You are conscious of your speed as you arrive, lest you cause concern.

Sometimes the situation is awash with blue flashing lights, emergency vehicles, various uniforms and recovery trucks. There might just be a single policemen standing guard over an already deceased dog or deer. Or there may be a baying crowd surrounding a collarless stray dog that has ventured onto the highway and been struck by a poor, innocent motorist who is now being harshly, mercilessly castigated; neighbours and passers by acting as judge and jury.

This time, it was worse. There were three police cars, a fire engine and an ambulance. Hi-vis was everywhere.

A small vehicle had, for no reason that anyone could initially fathom, mounted the pavement and overturned, somehow, however the roof had maintained its shape.

The young female driver was dead.

In the process of attempting to remove her from the car, a faint, pitiful sound had been heard. Eventually, it dawned on the emergency personnel that she had not been alone in the vehicle. They soon realised that there was a puppy inside it as well.

I regret that his injuries were so severe that I put him to sleep immediately, consoled, at least, that his suffering had been put to an end as quickly as possible.

A few days later, I received a phone call from one of the policemen who had been in attendance at the scene. It seems the lady had just collected the puppy from its breeder, who had told him she had departed with it sitting on her knee.

He was pretty sure it may have distracted her, causing the accident, as there were no other vehicles involved. What he was convinced of, however, was that her death had been caused by the puppy hitting the back of her head, as it was thrown about the vehicle. Otherwise, she would have been unharmed.

Rule 57 of the Highway Code states that, when in a vehicle, dogs or other animals should be suitably restrained so they can’t distract drivers or injure you or themselves, if you stop quickly.

And for very good reason.