Old tyres to blame for fatal M5 crash
AMOTORWAY crash which killed five people – including three members of a Maghull family – when a van smashed through a central reservation was caused because its tyres were too old.
Avon Coroner’s Court heard the 18-year-old front tyre on driver Michael Bakewell’s converted horsebox had burst after deteriorating through age.
The inquest into the deaths of Maghull couple Richard Evans, 66, Elaine Evans, 62, and her mum Audrey Hodge, 84, along with Adrian Beaumont, 46, and Rebecca Mitchell, 42, from Bristol, heard that the Government has just announced it is consulting on options to ban tyres over 10 years old for large vehicles.
Senior coroner Maria Voisin concluded that the five deaths were caused by a collision when a tyre on the Mercedes 1820 box van suddenly deflated on the M5 in south Gloucestershire in September 2017.
The coroner said: “The front offside tyre suffered a blowout and a sudden and instantaneous deflation. The tyre was 18-anda-quarter years old and had suffered structural deterioration because of ageing.”
Miss Voisin said she was “mindful” of her ability to make a Regulation 28 Report to prevent future deaths, which could have influenced legislation on tyre conditions in future, but she added that she was reassured “steps are being taken” following evidence from a Government representative.
Bernie Frost, principal examiner for the Department of Transport (DoT), had earlier told the inquest a report into the effects of ageing on tyres is due in April this year.
He said the Government is “following these proceedings, and the expert testimony supplied, very closely”, and changes had been made to MOT tests in May last year to make tyre testing stricter.
Guidance for all heavy vehicles not to use tyres over 10 years old was issued in Nov 2018, but no legislation had been put in place due to there being no scientific evidence into the process of ageing on tyres.
The DoT said later that it had begun a consultation on Tuesday on banning on buses, coaches, HGVs and mini-buses from running with a tyre aged 10 years or over.
The inquest heard the van passed its MOT in Worcester on March 7, 2017, with Mr Bakewell’s father taking it for the test.
Forensic collision investigator PC Sharon Little told the inquest the front offside tyre of the box van, which she referred to as a lorry, was close to bursting before the fatal crash because of its age.
But she confirmed there is no legislation that requires a tyre to be replaced at a certain age, and it would not have been obvious to Mr Bakewell that it was close to bursting before he set off on his journey.
The tyre blowout caused the van to veer to the right and crash through the central barrier into two cars travelling in the opposite direction between junctions 14 near Falfield and 15 near Almondsbury.
Pc Little said the van was being driven within the maximum speed limit for a large vehicle of 60mph.
No alcohol or drugs were found in Mr Bakewell’s system, nor was there evidence that he had been on his phone at the time.
PC Little told the inquest: “Mr Bakewell could not have done anything to avoid the tyre blowout or the steering.”
The inquest heard the Subaru Forester carrying driver Mr Evans, his wife and her mother Mrs Hodge was “torn apart” and left “almost recognisable” following the crash.
All three were killed instantly, with Mr Evans and his wife being thrown from the car.
The Seat Leon carrying the other victims was forced off the road by the van and overturned down an embankment. Mr Beaumont and Miss Mitchell’s children are still recovering from their injuries.