Fatal Collision, On The A31

Fatal collision on A31
At 6.30am on Tuesday 22 January 2008, a fatal road traffic collision occurred on the A31 near the Botany Bay Inn, Winterborne Zelston, Dorset.

A silver Peugeot 206 saloon and an large abnormal load on a Volvo heavy tractor were in collision and sadly the driver of the Peugeot saloon was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision.

Next of kin of the driver of the Peugeot, believed to be a 60 year old Bournemouth man, have been notified by a family liaison officer who has been appointed to care for their needs.

The driver of the Volvo heavy tractor carrying the abnormal load , a 42 year old man from Lancashire, and the driver of a vehicle escorting the load, a 40 year old man, also from Lancashire, were both arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and taken to Poole police station.

The A31 was closed in both directions and diversions were put in place and major disruption to road users in the area has been unavoidable – diversions were removed just after 12.10pm

That opens up a can of worms for you guys ............... I can see your rates going up in order to pay for front & rear facing cameras and recorders to help with any accident claims

It was only time eh, I wonder if the escort was a fully certified, experienced person and if the vehicle was up to standards...

No more information on exactly what happened???

The escort van was marked accordinging to the CoP. The two lads were arrested because that is now apparently procedger nowdays when their is a fatality. Guilty until proved innocent. I just hope that when they are aquitted the news papers which has published this story will say that they have been found 'not guity' of dangous driving.

According to the escort driver who was about 200 yrds in front, the car came round the bend to fast and took no notice of the van. Its a shame that the poor chap peged it, I wouldn't wish it on anyone but it has happend and, I think (personal opinion) that it could of been avoided.

The police had escorted them out of the site and had then left them to their own devices, its just a shame that the police couldn't of stayed with them until the got to the duel carrageway, of course, theirs proberly a reason for this, maybe a 999 call, but if they had been their it proberly would of slowed him down. Again, just my opinion.

Rob

Now there's a surprise the motorist took NO NOTICE OF THE VAN

I think Now's the time to Contact the Media, Paper's and TV and try to get them to . Listen to us ask them to give us a page or a space to get the public's attention ...Ok the H.A. gives out leaflets but who apart from US read them

But you can take a horse to water but you cant make it drink

My sincere sympathy to the family of the driver involved. I trust also, that the abload guys are OK.

Whatever caused the collision, which could be anything from driver error, mechanical failure, to "act of God", - the event has happened.

As escorters, I'm sure that we all appreciate the seriousness of the "near misses" that happen all too often. And lets be honest with each other, they do happen, even with a police escort.

Whether we like it or not, we are in a high risk job, and it only hits home after this sort of news. If the grim reaper doesn't get us by smashing up our rear on the motorway, then the lawyers probably will when something like this happens.

Obviously, it's our job to give as much warning of the hazard as we possibly can.

If we don't, then our level of demise rests in the quality of QC that will face us in Court.

For this reason, I think that we owe it to ourselves to promote the public's education of our role. What more can we legally do? However, if we ask for more "authority" to legally "direct traffic", and fit improved, legal warning systems, as I feel we must, then when the c**p hits the fan, we must be prepared to face compensation on a higher level. We seriously may not want to go there!

It raises the "job" to a professional level. With, as Worx says, video coverage, higher insurance premiums, and higher charges.

All this is possible, providing that the "cowboy" or simplistic level of escorting is made illegal.

I guess that it'll be a cold day in hell before that happens!

-Nick

quite agree nick. As for contacting the media in regards to public awareness, I would of thought the best people to go to is 'THINK'.

As for the newspapers who ran this story and printed that the truck and escort drivers where arrested on suspision of causing death by dangous driving, I do hope that when they are equitted, that will also be printed.

Rob,

As they were directly involved with the collision, it's normal practise for an arrest "on suspicion" of ................... to take place. They are then on police bail whilst enquiries are carried out.

Only if there is sufficient evidence to bring a prosecution would they then be charged. If after that, the CPS decide that there is no case to answer, then that's the end of the matter. Only if they are found not guilty of whatever charge in Court can they be acquitted.

The Coroner may make comment and/or recommendation if he/she considers that the death could have been avoided by say, better signing or warning devices.

So, chances are that nothing more will ever appear in the newspapers - having left most people with the impression that the escort and load driver were somehow in the wrong. Which is not good PR whichever way you look at it.

Some of the other risks in "upping the safety argument" are that someone will suggest that escort drivers should comply with driver hours regulations, and use a tacho. Escort drivers are, to the best of my knowledge, not exempted from the regulations that currently cover driving a "goods vehicle" for payment. They are just not required to keep a record if it. YET!

All we can do then I suppose is wait and see what happens.
This unfortunate event is bound to come up at the next HTA meeting in Febuary which I am hoping to attend, We shall wait and see.

Any Vehicle under 3.5t gross is tacho exempt. Altho we are all driving for Hire and Reward (And we are Hire and Reward in case you didnt think you were )Unless its towing a trailer when it then goes into GTW gross train weight which will take it over 3.5t but under 7.495t then a tacho is required for hire and reward .Now this i think also implys that joe bloggs with a range rover towing a trailer for hire and reward needs a tacho but sean bloggs landrover towing a trailer for personal use dont need a tacho Now there was a thing on domestic driving hours that ment everyone regardless wasnt allowed to driver more than 10hrs a day

Now Slightly unknown law watch out this does catch a lot people out any van over 1500Kg unladen the speed limit on a A class single carriageway is 50mph and not 60mph that means transit, ivecos, traffics, transporters, in fact all midi to large vans are all over that weight