Freight Emergency

A lorry driver who was unanimously convicted of causing death by dangerous driving at an eight-day trial last month, has been given a two-and-a-half year prison sentence. Michael Coombes, 62, from Stowmarket in Suffolk, was driving a 22-tonne HGV eastbound along the A14 dual carriageway, at Bottisham, in May 2007. At the trial, the jury heard that Coombes failed to notice the stationary traffic ahead, which was queuing as a result of a broken-down lorry blocking the nearside lane.

Coombes was unable to explain why he failed to react in the 30 seconds before swerving at the last moment and smashing into the caravan at the back of the queue at an impact speed of 55mph. A eight-year-old boy was killed as a result of the accident. At the sentencing hearing, Christopher Paxton, defence barrister, said in mitigation : “Mr. Coombes had an impeccable driving record for 40 years, having driven many millions of miles conviction and accident free.”

Source Road Transport.com

Our thoughts are with both families, a tragedy that shouldn’t have happened. Transport companies need to take extra care with their drivers - this one had an impeccable driving record over 40 years. I hope they are supporting the driver through this, as well as the family involved if they can, or perhaps better expressed as if they are allowed.

Kevin

Related articles

• Crackdown on distracted and careless drivers
• Death by dangerous driving
• Drinking, driving and using a mobile phone
• British drivers face jail for causing death by dangerous driving
• Anger at sentence on ‘rich-list’ crash driver

Rubs Transport professional & solicitor Chris Lodge has shared this article with us. Although aimed primarily at motorists, it could apply to couriers and van drivers as well.

Driving Whilst uninsured.

In my business, we are often dealing with uninsured drivers and I am not talking about a claim against an uninsured person but where my client turns out to be uninsured and didn’t realise it.

First, if you are uninsured and the accident is not your fault, you can still bring the claim against the driver at fault (but if he too is uninsured you can’t claim against the Motor Insurers Bureau).

However, if you are to blame or partially to blame, your actual insurers will have to pay the claims of others including injury but will then try to recoup all their costs including your opponent’s legal fees from you!.

Don’t forget, even if your vehicle is owned by your employer, it’s up to you to make sure you are insured to drive it!

So how come you are uninsured?

Someone may have modified the vehicle without telling the insurers, not renewed the MOT in time.

It may have tyres which make the car unroadworthy or you may have forgotten to tell your insurers about a motoring offence.

Even if you share a vehicle to drive to work with a colleague, it is worth ensuring that this would not fall into the category of “hire and reward”

These are just a few of the examples of where an insurer can “refuse to indemnify you” - in other words, they won’t pay up.

If you use insurance brokers, ask them to check if you are not sure about anything. That’s their job!

This can prove very expensive, so don’t take the risk!

You can read more of Chris’s excellent articles here

Kevin

Load rescue and freight recovery

Related articles

• Accidents with uninsured motorists
• Uninsured drivers - new penalties
• Accidents Involving Foreign Vehicles