Source · Prevention of Future Deaths

Yvonne Copland

Ref: 2021-0067 Date: 8 Mar 2021 Coroner: Caroline Sarah Sumeray Area: Isle of Wight Responses identified: 2 / 1 View PDF

The road junction has a history of serious collisions due to poor visibility, deceptive road layout, and inadequate signage/safety measures, despite being a high-traffic route.

Date 8 Mar 2021

56-day deadline 3 May 2021

Responses identified 2 of 1

Other related deaths Road (Highways Safety) related deaths

Coroner's concerns

AI summary

The road junction has a history of serious collisions due to poor visibility, deceptive road layout, and inadequate signage/safety measures, despite being a high-traffic route.

View full coroner's concerns

1. In her sentencing remarks, Her Hon Judge QC said: “…It is right and fair that I should make the observation that this is not, perhaps, the easiest of junctions. It is not the first time that a serious road traffic collision has taken place at this particular junction.

2. “Whitehouse Lane has high hedges and it does not afford a good view of the major road, although an approaching double-decker bus would probably have been visible to you. In addition to that the road may be somewhat deceptive when travelling along Whitehouse Lane in that a person who fails to observe the signage and the road markings could read the road as continuing straight across, which is the way in which you recall reading the road, and I accept that, coupled with your over reliance on the audio of your satellite navigation system, that is how you saw it, having failed to observe the clear warnings on the approach to the junction. Two “Give Way” signs, road markings and a change of surface.

3. “It is incumbent upon a driver to observe the road and most importantly the road signage, the road markings and the change of road surface, which were clear. In addition to that, three or four seconds before you reached the junction, another vehicle emerged from the road opposite Whitehouse Lane and should have been a visible warning to you. You were, however, a very inexperienced driver which may have contributed to your error. By the time you realised what was happening, it looks like you must have braked hard at that point, it was too late.”

4. In the aftermath of the crash, a petition was launched which gained nearly 7,000 signatures calling for the Isle of Wight Council to install traffic lights at the crossroads, in a bid to improve road safety and prevent further collisions.

5. Accident data from the Isle of Wight Council and Island Roads show there is a ‘high probability’ of a crash occurring at that junction at least once every year, and it is ‘likely’ that between 25% and 50% of those accidents could kill or seriously injure someone.

6. In the last 5 years, I am informed that there have been 7 recorded collisions which have occurred at this junction – the one involving Mrs COPLAND was clearly one where a fatality occurred, and number of others were seriously injured in this incident. I also understand that there have been 3 other serious collisions at this location with 6 of those collisions involving vehicles exiting Whitehouse Road on to Forest Road.

7. Forest Road is the main strategic route from Newport to the West Wight and is thought to be used by approximately 10,000 vehicles a day and its junction with Whitehouse Road is currently in the top 10 potential safety schemes on the Island’s Highways Safety and Improvement Register.

8. Whilst I am aware that some measures have been taken by the Isle of Wight Council to reduce the likelihood of a collision in the future by realigning a hedge, I am concerned that this measure does not go far enough to make this junction significantly safer for all road users in the future.

Responses

2 respondents

Isle of Wight Council Local Authority / Fire Service

30 Apr 2021 PDF

Action Planned

The Isle of Wight Council will commission junction designs in May 2021, conduct a design review and consultation in July 2021, commit to a design option in September 2021, tender for a delivery contractor in November 2021, and commence works in February 2022 to improve the junction. (AI summary)

View full response

Dear Ms Sumeray,

Regulation 28 – Yvonne Copland Fatal Collision, Forest Road and Whitehouse Road Junction

We are in receipt of your Regulation 28 Report dated 8th March in relation to the above road traffic collision that occurred on 14th April 2019. We provide the following responses to your concerns as recorded in Part 5 of this report.

1. We note the remarks from and concur that this is not the easiest of junctions, particularly for those not familiar with the location, and this is not the first time that incident has occurred at this particular junction.
2. It is the case that there are high hedges on the approach to this junction which reduce both the advance visibility of vehicles on the major road (Forest Road) and also restrict visibility in both directions when attempting to exit Whitehouse Lane. It is agreed that there is clear and appropriate signage warning road users of the junction and, as is the case with many cross road arrangements, there is potential for drivers to incorrectly read the road as continuing straight across.
3. The comments in relation to the driver’s incumbent responsibilities and their inexperience are noted.
4. It is confirmed that a petition was launched, and this was considered at an Isle of Wight Council Cabinet Meeting. Whilst the intent of the petition was the installation of traffic lights at this junction, it was considered that a full review of junction improvement options was necessary to determine the most effective option. It is the case that traffic light junctions do not eliminate incidents and there remains similar potential for road users to fail to observe the junction or fail to observe the lights. A preference exists for a junction that make a physical change to the layout which requires a driver to deviate from a straight through route. The Council embraced the need for improvements at this junction and committed to fund the necessary option reviews, junction designs and the construction of a new layout.
5. The information recorded in relation to accident probability and severity at this junction is noted and confirmed as correct.

2

Cont …

6. As previous, the information recorded in relation to accidents at this junction is noted and confirmed as correct.
7. We confirm that Forest Road is the main strategic route from Newport to West Wight and this junction does fall into the top 10 schemes on the Highway Safety and Improvement Register.
8. Measures are currently being considered for both short and long term improvements at this junction, however no physical changes have yet been implemented to alter hedge alignments. It is expected that junction designs will be commissioned during April 2021 with a view to construction of a scheme in 2022. There will be a requirement to secure third party land once a final design solution is agreed.

We provide below a summary table to show the actions the Council plan to take along with the expected timetable for action.

Ref Activity Start Date
1. Commission outline design options May 2021
2. Design Review and Consultation July 2021
3. Commit to design option and commission detailed design, commence land purchase (if required) Sept 2021
4. Tender process and appointment of delivery contractor Nov 2021
5. Works commence Feb 2022

We trust the information provided in this response fulfils your requirements and we look forward to updating you on progress should you require. In the meantime, we remain ready to provide any further information as may be necessary to assist in the conduct of this matter.

Ringway Island Roads Ltd

30 Apr 2021 PDF

Action Planned

Ringway Island Roads will commission junction designs in May 2021, conduct a design review and consultation in July 2021, commit to a design option in September 2021, tender for a delivery contractor in November 2021, and commence works in February 2022 to improve the junction. (AI summary)

View full response

Dear Ms Sumeray, Regulation 28 – Yvonne Copland Fatal Collision, Forest Road and Whitehouse Road Junction We are in receipt of your Regulation 28 Report dated 8th March in relation to the above road traffic collision that occurred on 14th April 2019. We provide the following responses to your concerns as recorded in Part 5 of this report.
1. We note the remarks from and concur that this is not the easiest of junctions, particularly for those not familiar with the location, and this is not the first time that incident has occurred at this particular junction.
2. It is the case that there are high hedges on the approach to this junction which reduce both the advance visibility of vehicles on the major road (Forest Road) and also restrict visibility in both directions when attempting to exit Whitehouse Lane. It is agreed that there is clear and appropriate signage warning road users of the junction and, as is the case with many cross road arrangements, there is potential for drivers to incorrectly read the road as continuing straight across.
3. The comments in relation to the driver’s incumbent responsibilities and their inexperience are noted.
4. It is confirmed that a petition was launched, and this was considered at an Isle of Wight Council Cabinet Meeting. Whilst the intent of the petition was the installation of traffic lights at this junction, it was considered that a full review of junction improvement options was necessary to determine the most effective option. It is the case that traffic light junctions do not eliminate incidents and there remains similar potential for road users to fail to observe the junction or fail to observe the lights. A preference exists for a junction that make a physical change to the layout which requires a driver to deviate from a straight through route. The Council embraced the need for improvements at this junction and committed to fund the necessary option reviews, junction designs and the construction of a new layout.

Ringway Island Roads Ltd Registered Office: Albion House, Springfield Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 2RW Registered in England No: 8108944 VAT Registered No. 321 9318 74

5. The information recorded in relation to accident probability and severity at this junction is noted and confirmed as correct.
6. As previous, the information recorded in relation to accidents at this junction is noted and confirmed as correct.
7. We confirm that Forest Road is the main strategic route from Newport to West Wight and this junction does fall into the top 10 schemes on the Highway Safety and Improvement Register.
8. Measures are currently being considered for both short and long term improvements at this junction, however no physical changes have yet been implemented to alter hedge alignments. It is expected that junction designs will be commissioned during April 2021 with a view to construction of a scheme in 2022. There will be a requirement to secure third party land once a final design solution is agreed.

We provide below a summary table to show the actions the Council plan to take along with the expected timetable for action.

Ref Activity Start Date
1. Commission outline design options May 2021
2. Design Review and Consultation July 2021
3. Commit to design option and commission detailed design, commence land purchase (if required) Sept 2021
4. Tender process and appointment of delivery contractor Nov 2021
5. Works commence Feb 2022

We trust the information provided in this response fulfils your requirements and we look forward to updating you on progress should you require. In the meantime, we remain ready to provide any further information as may be necessary to assist in the conduct of this matter.

Report sections

Investigation and inquest

On 15th April 2019 I commenced an investigation into the death of Yvonne COPLAND, aged 64. The investigation concluded at the end of the criminal proceedings on 13th July 2020. As a consequence of convictions being recorded in respect of causing death by dangerous driving (and other associated matters relating to this collision), and the facts having been fully ventilated in the Isle of Wight Crown Court before sentence on 13th July 2020, I have considered that it is not appropriate for me to resume the inquest proceedings in this case.

The medical cause of death was found to be: 1a Neck and Trunk Injuries 1b 1c II

Circumstances of the death

1) Yvonne COPLAND was born on 10th December 1954 in Newport, Isle of Wight. At the time of her death, she was 64 years old. She resided in Newport, Isle of Wight and was a Cancer Care Co-ordinator.
2) On Sunday 14th of April 2019 Mrs Yvonne COPLAND and her husband were conveying their son and his partner to Yarmouth in red Fiat Bravo motor car index . was the driver of this vehicle with as the front seat passenger. Yvonne COPLAND and were rear seat passengers. The vehicle left the family home address in Newport, Isle of Wight just before 13:00 hours. The vehicle was travelling in a westerly direction along the A3054 towards Shalfleet and Yarmouth.

3) Whilst travelling along the A3054 and at the junction of FOREST ROAD and WHITEHOUSE ROAD a collision took place with a double-decker bus index being driven by and a silver Mini Cooper index being driven by . The silver Mini Cooper was travelling south along WHITEHOUSE ROAD towards the A3057 from the direction of Great Thorness. was unfamiliar with the road layout and failed to see or act upon the road signage indicating that there was a junction ahead at which she needed to give way. In so doing she has collided with the double-decker bus driving east along the A3054 from Shalfleet towards Newport. In an attempt to avoid a collision with vehicle as it emerged into the junction without stopping from the A3057 into the A3054 immediately in front of the bus, the bus driver instinctively swerved to the right and in doing so he was completely unable to avoid colliding with the vehicle containing Mrs COPLAND and her family.

4) Police and ambulance crews were quickly on scene and further support was requested including 4 air ambulances. Upon their arrival, ambulance staff noted that Yvonne COPLAND had been removed from her husband’s car and was being given CPR by members of the public. Paramedics and other medical support took over providing emergency medical treatment for Yvonne COPLAND but sadly she was pronounced dead at the scene at 13.16 hours.

5) had to be extricated from his vehicle and was taken immediately by helicopter to Southampton General Hospital with very critical life-threatening injuries. He was taken to surgery and his condition was considered to be life-threatening for a considerable period. He was unconscious for a month after the collision and subsequent surgery and required several other surgeries whilst an inpatient. His injuries have been life-changing, and he was unable to go home to convalesce but had to relocate to a Care Home, and now lives with one of his daughters because due to his injuries, he is unable to live alone.
6) was conveyed to Southampton General Hospital with several major injuries which required significant surgeries.

was flown to Brighton Hospital with life-threatening injuries and was placed into an induced coma for a week. Three months after the incident, he was still in a wheelchair and long-term has suffered and continues to suffer with PTSD. All three men suffered life-changing physical and psychological trauma as a consequence of this collision.

7) , the bus driver, suffered significant traumatic physical and psychological injuries. It is fair to say that whilst the collision with the Fiat Bravo driven by was unavoidable, in taking the action that he did, saved the lives of many of his passengers on the bus and prevented them from receiving serious injuries as his actions prevented the bus falling into the ditches which are present on both sides of the road.

Similar PFD reports

Shared signals

Report details

Reference: 2021-0067
Date of report: 8 March 2021
Coroner: Caroline Sarah Sumeray
Coroner area: Isle of Wight

Responses identified

Responses identified 2 of 1

All listed responses identified

Organisations named in PFD reports are normally expected to respond within 56 days. Deadline: 3 May 2021.

Sent to

Highways – Isle of Wight Council and Ringway Island Roads Ltd

Source links

Judiciary.uk page → Report PDF →

Data: judiciary.uk under OGL.