- Published Date: 10 January 2008
- Source: DT Mid Edition
- Location: Chesterfield
Runaway trailer tragedy petition
Hundreds of people have signed a petition calling for a change in the law following the death of a little boy who was hit by a runaway trailer.
The parents of four-year-old Finlay Martin of Old Road, Heage, who died in July last year, are among about 300 people who have put their names to the on-line petition.
The petition calls on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to introduce an annual compulsory MoT for all trailers, including caravans and horse boxes, and to make it compulsory for trailers to be fitted with a cable which could activate an emergency braking system if a trailer breaks free.
Absolute hell
The campaign has been launched by mother-of-three Juliette Blake, a member of Amber Valley Borough Council and leader of Ripley Town Council, who says she has found numerous examples of deaths and injuries being caused by breakaway trailers.
She said: “Never a day goes by without me thinking of that poor family. They must be going through absolute hell and they’ll never get over it.
“I feel I have got to do something positive to help them. It’s an uphill battle but it would be fantastic if we could get the law changed.
“It is just so sad that a tragedy like this has to happen to bring it to people’s attention.”
At an inquest into Finlay’s death at Derby, on Thursday, deputy coroner Louise Pinder said that she intended to write to the Department of Transport passing on the family’s concerns in the hope that lessons could be learned from the tragic accident.
She recorded a narrative verdict – a factual account of Finlay’s death.
The petition calls on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to introduce an annual compulsory MoT for all trailers, including caravans and horse boxes, and to make it compulsory for trailers to be fitted with a cable which could activate an emergency braking system if a trailer breaks free.
Absolute hell
The campaign has been launched by mother-of-three Juliette Blake, a member of Amber Valley Borough Council and leader of Ripley Town Council, who says she has found numerous examples of deaths and injuries being caused by breakaway trailers.
She said: “Never a day goes by without me thinking of that poor family. They must be going through absolute hell and they’ll never get over it.
“I feel I have got to do something positive to help them. It’s an uphill battle but it would be fantastic if we could get the law changed.
“It is just so sad that a tragedy like this has to happen to bring it to people’s attention.”
At an inquest into Finlay’s death at Derby, on Thursday, deputy coroner Louise Pinder said that she intended to write to the Department of Transport passing on the family’s concerns in the hope that lessons could be learned from the tragic accident.
She recorded a narrative verdict – a factual account of Finlay’s death.
The full article contains 287 words and appears in DT Mid Edition newspaper.
Last Updated: 09 January 2008 9:46 AM
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