Coroner voices concerns about smart motorways after man died following collision on M1 in Northamptonshire

A senior coroner has written to National Highways to voice her concerns about smart motorways after a man died following a collision on the M1 in Northamptonshire.

Anne Pember, senior coroner for Northamptonshire, has penned a prevention of future deaths report after David Levett died in February 2018, following a collision on the smart motorway section of the M1, between junction 17 and 18, near Daventry.

The 53-year-old, who had cerebral palsy, was in the rear seat of his carer’s car on January 28, 2018. The carer stopped to pick up his brother-in-law whose vehicle had broken down in lane one of an all lanes moving section of the motorway. Just after the brother-in-law got into the car, a lorry crashed into the back of the vehicle. Mr Levett was taken to hospital but sadly died nearly a month later.

The inquest into Mr Levett’s death was held at the Guildhall on April 13, this year. During the inquest Ms Pember said he may have lived if there had been a hard shoulder. She recorded a verdict of road traffic collision.

A police officer told the inquest that Stationary Vehicle Detection (SVD), which notifies a control room when a vehicle is stationary on a smart motorway, was not in place at the time of the collision but is now.

Now the coroner has made a call for action and is asking National Highways to take action.

Ms Pember said in the report: “During the course of the investigation my inquiries revealed matters giving rise to concern.

“In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken. In the circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you.

“During the course of the inquest, evidence was given that the location of the collision was on an all lane running smart motorway. There was nowhere for the driver of the first vehicle to park safely e.g. on a hard shoulder.

“In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you (and/or your organisation) have the power to take such action.”

The report says the chief executive of National Highways has until June 12, 2023 to respond to Ms Pember’s concerns.

The letter comes just after the Government announced that all plans for more smart motorways across the country have been scrapped, however, the stretches of smart motorway that are already up and running - like in Northamptonshire - will continue to operate.

The Department for Transport said the decision was made due to “the current lack of public confidence felt by drivers and cost pressures”.

For the stretches of smart motorway in operation, the Government says a further £900 million will be invested into safety features, including installing 150 extra emergency areas across the network, as well as further improving the performance of stopped vehicle detection technology.

Read the full prevention of future deaths report here.