Darren Christopher Reilly and Tyler Cox · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 5 May 2024 inquests were opened into the deaths of Darren Christopher Reilly, aged 55, and, Tyler Cox, aged 18. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquests on 9 July 2025 in respect of Mr Reilly, and 11 July 2025 in respect of Miss Cox. The inquests found that Mr Reilly died as a result of multiple traumatic injuries, and Miss Cox died as a result of a traumatic head injury. The conclusion of both inquests was that both Mr Reilly and Miss Cox died in a Road Traffic Collision.

On 1 April 2024, Mr Reilly was driving a Range Rover in company with this partner and her three children, one of whom was Miss Cox. They were driving along the M1 southbound, when approximately 1 mile before the exit slip road for junction 5 for Watford, Mr Reilly lost control of the vehicle, resulting in the vehicle leaving the carriageway to the nearside, through a gap in the safety barrier that runs along the nearside of the M1 and colliding with trees. As a result of the collision both Mr Reilly and Miss Cox sustained fatal traumatic injuries, and their deaths were confirmed at the scene.

I heard evidence that along this section of the M1 southbound there are safety barriers to the nearside of the carriageway. It was explained to me that if a vehicle loses control, the safety barrier is designed to prevent a vehicle from leaving the carriageway – the idea being that a vehicle that has lost control will continue along the safety barrier before coming to a more controlled stop, thereby minimising the risk of serious injury of death to passengers.

It was further explained to me that this is particularly important when a high-speed carriageway (such as a motorway) is lined with established trees, as is the case here. This is because any vehicle that has lost control and leaves the carriageway is likely to do so at high speed and collide with these established trees. This would likely lead to a very sharp and sudden deceleration, and may cause the vehicle to overturn, which significantly increases the likelihood of serious injury and death to passengers.

In this case, I was shown images of the collision scene which depict the presence of safety barriers shortly before and shortly after the collision site. Whilst I heard evidence that, in general, gaps are sometimes inserted in the safety barrier for the purposes of access or due to the presence of other safety measures (e.g. a grassed bank), the witnesses from the Roads Policing Unit could not offer any explanation for why there is a gap in the safety barrier at this location.

Consequently, I am concerned that there is a gap in the safety barrier at this location, which for the reasons outlined above gives rise to a risk that future deaths may occur.