Joshua David Booth · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 22nd September 2014 I commenced an investigation into the death of Joshua David Booth, Aged 22 years. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 11th March 2015. The conclusion of the inquest was that Mr Booth died as a result of a Road Traffic Collision, the medical cause of death being:

1a.       Multiple Injuries

On 14th September 2014, Mr Booth was travelling westbound along a road which runs parallel with Fodder Drain. When he was approximately 275 metres east of Hobhole Drain he drove over a heavily subsided section of road which, in part, caused him to lose control of his Peugeot 206 Motor Vehicle resulting in him leaving the road to his offside, following which the vehicle collided with a wooden post at the foot of the bank and somersaulted into Fodder Drain. Mr Booth sustained fatal injuries. Full details of the incident and investigation are set out in Police Constable Holloway's report, a copy of which has been made available to Officers of your department.

(I)        The subsided section of road is seriously substandard and a danger to passing motorists and formed a contributory factor to Mr Booth's death. The section of road requires immediate repair.

(II)       Appropriate signage needs to be erected to warn of the imminent danger of the road subsidence. The signage needs to be closer to the section of road in question and should include an appropriate advisory speed limit.

(III)      The posts at the foot of the bank constitute a serious danger to vehicles leaving this section of road. An Armco barrier should be erected along this section of the road to provide security to passing motorists.