Elijah Oluwagbenga Shotade · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 03/09/2018 I commenced an investigation into the death of Elijah Oluwagbenga, Shotade, who was born on 7th February 1987. The investigation has not yet been concluded and the inquest has not yet been heard.

On 31st August 2018 Elijah Oluwagbenga Shotade was driving a motor vehicle over the Britannia Bridge in a westerly direction. He overtook two vehicles but did not return to his nearside lane. He continued in the east bound carriageway and collided with an east bound heavy goods vehicle suffering injuries that led to his death.
My investigation, to date, shows that there have been numerous, almost identical, collisions and incidents. My investigation, to date, would suggest that motorists driving in a west bound direction, having been used to driving along the dual carriageway of the A55, enter onto the Britannia Bridge (which is not a dual carriageway) but seem to behave as if the east bound lane is the offside lane of a dual carriageway. The result of this is that they find themselves in the east bound carriageway of the bridge and are leaning the bridge they are unable to turn to their nearside lane due to the presence of barriers. The situation is made worse by many sat navs directing the motorists to "bear right" on leaving the Britannia Bridge.

(1) That the layout of the road is such that motorists driving in a west bound direction will remain the east bound lane after overtaking and are unable to return to their nearside lane.
(2) That many sat.navs direct a west bound motorist to bear right thereby encouraging them to enter onto the east bound lane