Safe Speed Forums

Hayley Adamson (16), was killed by policeman, and jailed for 3 years.
From the BBC website HERE
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/8028666.stm
Edited 3.5.09 ...
"PC jailed over girl's crash death
A police officer has been jailed for causing the death of a 16-year-old schoolgirl by dangerous driving.
Pc John Dougal, 41, accelerated to 94mph (151km/h) in a 30mph zone before he hit Hayley Adamson in Newcastle's Denton Road on 19 May last year."

I can see 3 people and it seems that two crossed and thought she was behind them.

But why the policeman failed to find 'the escape route' I can only assume because he approached too fast for the conditions to give himself time to react.
I 'wonder if he saw the first two crossing and didn't expect the third, to step out to - or did he go behind the first two and failed to miss her.

Why did he not ;
have his lights on as a minimum ?
Failed to do 'avoidance braking' or cadence braking .... (if he car does not do it for him)
As a potentially skilled driver why did he fail to see the obvious danger.
The hill and left then r/hand bends should have seen him drop his speed ! He was very sadly going too fast for the conditions.
I assume that they have looked at mechanical failure too ? - anyone know ?
How much training has he had.
Did the familiar of the road make him think that he was immune form error ?
A sad and very tragic tale.

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Safe Speed for Intelligent Road Safety through proper research, experience & guidance.

Another case demonstrating ANPR is not fit for the purpose for which it is used. Not that it excuses the officer's driving. Harking back to my thread on "Attitude"
I sometime wonder, and I am sure that In-Gear will contradict me, if police driver training concentrates too much on the mechanics of driving and not enough on attitude.

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When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
When I see a youth in a motor car I do d.c.brown

To be honest he drove through that estate as if he were the sweeney. I suspect he would not have driven through suberbia like that. He had zero respect for that area and believed everyone to be scum. In earlier reports he was not using lights or sirens . He believed a 90mph car chase was a reasonable response to a low level suspected crime. Another recruitment / tranining / culture failure.

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Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

I suspect you are correct.




(My Bold)

Did we ever find out exactly what the "Suspected" crime actually was??

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"The road to a police state is paved with public safety legislation"

I already said on the other thread down in "News" as opened by WIldy that we have to investigate all ANPR alerts .. but need to also be aware that this does not always mean "criminality" on the part of the driver.. and we should prioritise and manage the situation better


Per the video he passed an ocoming car travelling at 30 mph allegedly. He drove on for some 30 yards or so before performing a U turn. The suspect car would have been moving away and perhaps this justified some speed to "catch up". It does not excuse not using lights given this was a residential area all the same..

We do assess attitude as well as test skill and knowledge of traffic law.

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