Bartosz Kacper Bortniczak and 4 others · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 17/11/2014 I commenced an investigations into the deaths of Bartosz Kacper Bortniczak who died from multiple injuries including haemothorax and dislocated cervical spine, Blake Reece Cairns who died from multiple injuries including transacted thoracic aorta and by ventricular lacerations, Jordanna April Louise Goodwin who died from a fractured skull, Arapad Kore who died from a transacted thoracic aorta and Megan Lea Storey who died from intra pleural and intra-cerebral haemorrhage due to blunt trauma to the chest and head. The conclusion for each of the inquests was Accidental death.

On the 15th November 2014 Bartosz Bortniczak was driving his motor vehicle along the A630 in Conisbrough. Blake Cairns, Jordanna Goodwin, Arpad Kore and Megan Storey were passengers in the vehicle. Mr Bortniczak entered a right hand bend on this stretch of road at a speed in the region of 73mph. As he steered through the bend he lifted his foot of the accelerator and/or braked causing the vehicle to spin, skid and cross to the opposing carriageway where it was in a collision with a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction. The five occupants of the vehicle being driven by Mr Bortniczak all suffered extensive injuries which rapidly proved to be fatal. Police Officers from the Traffic Division of South Yorkshire Police provided evidence that over the last 10 years there have been 18 incidents on this stretch of road, which included 10 fatalities and 2 serious injuries. The speed restriction is the National speed limit namely 60mph.

(1) The speed restriction up to and through the bend is 60mph but drops to 40mph after the bend. Given the number of incidents on this stretch of road it would appear more appropriate for the reduced speed restriction to apply prior to the bend which was the subject of these inquests. Given the number of incidents in this area, I am concern that to leave the speed restriction at sixty miles per hour leads to circumstances continuing to create a risk of other deaths occurring. In the circumstances, it is my view that the speed restriction of 40mph should be moved so that it is prior to the bend on this stretch of road.