Who kills the children ? The cars or their drivers ? ...

The Daily Mail reports on the inquest on the death of 18 month old Greta Davison whose father reversed his BMW over her and didn't realise until his wife telephoned him at work.

Alan Mardell, head of the child protection unit at Herefordshire Police, carried out a routine investigation after Greta's death ... He told the inquest: 'This was nothing more than a tragic accident.'

The BBC report that Pc Alan Paton, of West Mercia Police, said tests carried out on Mr Davison's BMW had found numerous blind spots in his mirrors.

He said he would not have seen Greta even if she had been standing up.

The car also had a reversing sensor which did not go off but tests found that this would only have been activated if Greta had been standing in certain points and would not have sounded if she had slipped or stumbled on to the floor.

Coroner Mr Halpern recorded a verdict of accidental death.

When the Daily Mail reported the incident in February they reported an almost identical incident earlier that week when Jake Younger, aged 18 months who had just learned to walk, was killed as he ran out to greet his dad, Neil Lawson, 29, as he reversed his black Land Rover Freelander 4x4 up the family drive in Kibblesworth, near Gateshead, Tyne and Wear at 4.00 in the afternoon of February 7th.

At the time a Gateshead motor patrols spokesman said: “We are looking at the circumstances but this appears to be a tragic accident and our condolences go to the family.”

Gateshead coroner Terence Carney said (at the inquest on September 12th) Jake's death was a tragic accident. He said: "The father who is suffering greatly, readily co-operated with this matter and needs to be commended for the way in which he dealt with the necessary investigation.

"This incident occurred in circumstances where nobody had foreseen a child who has been able to come out of its home, looking for his father has walked in to the path way of a vehicle. It was a unfortunate accident and I record a verdict of accidental death."

Sunday, February 10, 2008 - How to kill your kids - Buy an SVU - 17 month old daughter killed by father
Saturday, June 10, 2006 SUV's are a hazard to children
Friday, October 07, 2005 SUV 's... kill kids and slays the old.

In a week (Guradian) when Nigel Gresham was at the wheel of his highly modified Land Rover when it flipped off the road at Tattershall Bridge, Lincolnshire, and rolled into the river Witham killing four of his children... it is remarkable how many children killed in car "accidents" have been killed by their parents.

Chief Constable Michael Todd, death in the hills and death on the road .. a useful and fascinating analysis

Pic from Freewheeler at Crap Waltham Forest who has a fascinating take on the career of top Met shagger Chief Constable Michael Todd in a lengthy , detailed and well informed rant (The petrolhead's copper) about how his policies have resulted in greater danger on the roads to children and other road users in London and Manchester.

He concludes .....

"Having for years blocked the introduction of speed cameras in Manchester and massively reduced traffic policing, how did Mike Todd choose to get around the city? You guessed – a 4X4. His dangerous and prejudiced style of policing put the most vulnerable – children, cyclists and pedestrians – at risk, but he was not prepared to share those risks himself. Instead he preferred the protection offered by a Range Rover."

It was of course a Range Rover that was left at Lanberis that he was said to have driven from Manchester and left there before he climbed Snowdon in the worst storm for 10 years.

Nobody saw him leave it there, and non-one has been identified as having found him and his half (?) empty gin bottle and his jacket ......

How to kill your kids - Buy an SVU - 17 month old daughter killed by father

18-month-old boy killed in car accident at family home - The Guradian today.

"An 18-month-old boy has died after he was accidentally run over by a 4x4 car believed to be driven by his father. Jake Younger became trapped under the wheels of the Land Rover Freelander on Thursday afternoon as it reversed towards the driveway at the family home in Kibblesworth, Gateshead.

Neighbours say they heard the child scream and moments later saw his father, Neil Lawson, 28, running down the street with the toddler in his arms and shouting for help. "

See Post Paturday, June 10, 2006 SUV's are a hazard to children

University of Utah Study Shows Minivans, Trucks Pose Greatest Risk of Backing Over Children in Driveways

See Post Friday, October 07, 2005 SUV 's... kill kids and slays the old.

"Small children are over represented in driveway accidents with SUV’s, probably a result of the increased height of the vehicle and the driver's reduced ability to see things immediately around the vehicle. An Australian study in New South Wales (2004) showed that typically, the injury involved a parent or relative reversing a motor vehicle in the home driveway over a toddler or preschool-age child in the late afternoon or early evening. Four-wheel-drive or light commercial vehicles were involved in 42% of all injuries, such vehicles were associated with a 2.5-times increased risk of fatality. In 13 of the 14 deaths, the cause was a severe head injury not amenable to medical intervention."

Accidents happen .... yeah... totally unforeseen. Act of that cruel God maybe.

UPDATE : Toddler killed as her father reverses car down the family drive - the second child to die that way in a week Daily Mail 10/2/08

An inquest into Greta's death was opened and adjourned by the Herefordshire Coroner on Thursday.Greta was pronounced dead shortly after being taken to hospital.