Teen's Death In Crash 'Not Due To Car Fault'
By Jo Deeks on Tuesday, 15th November 2005.
Teenager Daniel Goldsmith died just days after his 18th birthday in an unroadworthy car.
But the inquest into his death heard the problems with the vehicle – a badly worn suspension joint that would have caused it to fail its MoT – would not have caused him to lose control and crash.
Daniel had bought the Ford Fiesta only weeks before he died when it spun off the road and hit some trees on the A1092 road between Cavendish and Clare on Friday September 30th, just 12 days after his 18th birthday.
At an inquest at Bury St Edmunds on Tuesday, Greater Suffolk Coroner Dr Peter Dean recorded a verdict of accidental death and said there was no evidence to show exactly how the accident had happened.
Daniel, of Feltwell Place, Haverhill, was alone in the car when it was spotted by a passing driver on its roof in the field. Emergency services attended, but Daniel was certified dead at the scene.
The inquest heard Daniel had bought the car with a year’s MoT from a Cambridge garage earlier that month.
But Pc Kevin Fuller, who examined the vehicle after the accident, said it should not have passed its test.
He said the car appeared to have been in excellent condition, apart from the worn suspension joint that could have caused juddering.
Pc Fuller said he did not believe it would have caused loss of control or been a contributory factor, but it should not have passed a MoT test and he would be reporting this to the Ministry of Transport for investigation.
Daniel’s grandfather Frederick said his family could not understand why his vehicle had left the road and wondered if the mechanical fault could have contributed.
He said: “He was a novice driver, perhaps it could have frightened him. He would not have gone mad, he wasn’t that type of lad.”
Dr Dean said there was no question of drugs or alcohol being involved or any suggestion of deliberate intention being involved. Daniel had been to Sudbury to visit his new girlfriend Charlotte Goodman who said he left at about 8.45pm.
Daniel’s mother Cheryl said he was happy as usual when she last saw him and was due to return home with a takeaway meal for the family. He had just gained promotion in his job at Grampian Foods and was a careful driver who was familiar with the road.
A post mortem report said Daniel died from severe head injuries, including multiple skull fractures and broken bones in his neck.
But the inquest into his death heard the problems with the vehicle – a badly worn suspension joint that would have caused it to fail its MoT – would not have caused him to lose control and crash.
Daniel had bought the Ford Fiesta only weeks before he died when it spun off the road and hit some trees on the A1092 road between Cavendish and Clare on Friday September 30th, just 12 days after his 18th birthday.
At an inquest at Bury St Edmunds on Tuesday, Greater Suffolk Coroner Dr Peter Dean recorded a verdict of accidental death and said there was no evidence to show exactly how the accident had happened.
Daniel, of Feltwell Place, Haverhill, was alone in the car when it was spotted by a passing driver on its roof in the field. Emergency services attended, but Daniel was certified dead at the scene.
The inquest heard Daniel had bought the car with a year’s MoT from a Cambridge garage earlier that month.
But Pc Kevin Fuller, who examined the vehicle after the accident, said it should not have passed its test.
He said the car appeared to have been in excellent condition, apart from the worn suspension joint that could have caused juddering.
Pc Fuller said he did not believe it would have caused loss of control or been a contributory factor, but it should not have passed a MoT test and he would be reporting this to the Ministry of Transport for investigation.
Daniel’s grandfather Frederick said his family could not understand why his vehicle had left the road and wondered if the mechanical fault could have contributed.
He said: “He was a novice driver, perhaps it could have frightened him. He would not have gone mad, he wasn’t that type of lad.”
Dr Dean said there was no question of drugs or alcohol being involved or any suggestion of deliberate intention being involved. Daniel had been to Sudbury to visit his new girlfriend Charlotte Goodman who said he left at about 8.45pm.
Daniel’s mother Cheryl said he was happy as usual when she last saw him and was due to return home with a takeaway meal for the family. He had just gained promotion in his job at Grampian Foods and was a careful driver who was familiar with the road.
A post mortem report said Daniel died from severe head injuries, including multiple skull fractures and broken bones in his neck.
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