Warren Michael Myers · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 30th June 2016 I commenced an investigation into the death of Warren Michael Myers aged 49 years. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 8th February 2017. The cause of death was

1a. Traumatic Chest Injuries

The conclusion of the inquest was Road Traffic Collision

The deceased died in a fatal road traffic collision which occurred at around 19:50 hours on Wednesday 22nd June 2016 on the unclassified 42.3 Brusselton Lane road between the A698 road and the A607 road, County Durham. Road and weather conditions were good. The deceased was riding a motorised trike which was found to be in a road worthy condition. The deceased failed to negotiate a right hand bend and evidence indicated that he was driving too fast for that bend, though well within the speed limit of 60 miles per hour. There was no evidence to indicate that he had been driving inappropriately prior to the collision. The evidence was that he was driving along a road which he was not familiar and was caught out by the severity of the right hand bend. The Police report notes that the kerb on the corner was painted with marks indicative of it having been struck on a number of previous occasions. The Police indicated that they had been called to other incidents on this corner before and it was known to them. There are some warning signs. Evidence was given that the local authority had considered whether the load signage was adequate and deemed appropriate. The senior investigating officer believed that the signage was not adequate and that more needed to be done to warn road users of the severity of this bend. Evidence was given that a safe speed to go around the corner in a car would have been in the region of 25-30 miles per hour. It was suggested in evidence that warning signs could be affixed to them of an advisory (and unenforceable) maximum speed limit direction which would give motorists a better appreciation of the hazard that they were approaching.

1. The warning signage on the approach to the corner is inadequate.