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True Stories - Don't let this happen to you
Disabled passenger fell from minibus
A wheelchair-bound passenger died after he rolled out of the back door of a moving minibus.
The driver of the minibus said the death was something that would 'haunt me forever'.
Peter Kench, transport organiser for Selsey Venture Club, was driving Eric Mortland (87) to a visually-impaired club meeting at Hanover Close, Selsey
In a police interview read out at an inquest on Friday, Mr Kench also said he could not describe how he felt after the incident when the wheelchair Mr Mortland was in rolled out of the back of the minibus and on to the ground below.
He was unaware Mr Mortland's wheelchair brakes were not on when he drove the bus forward a maximum of 6ft to make way for another passing Venture Club minibus.
"I am sure if I had taken the brakes off the wheelchair I would not have moved the bus," Mr Kench told the inquest.
"I do not remember talking with Mr Mortland about his brakes at the time. He was about 5ft into the bus when I started to drive. I was only in first gear."
When Mr Kench moved his vehicle he heard a crash and went to see what had happened.
When he found Mr Mortland lying on the ground, he picked up the wheelchair and discovered it did not have its brakes on.
The inquest heard Mr Mortland rolled back on to the ramp, which was raised halfway between the back of the van and the ground, before falling around 14 inches.
An ambulance arrived between ten and 15 minutes after the incident.
Mr Mortland died in St Richard's Hospital on May 23, almost a month after the accident. He was a resident of the Summerfield Home in Selsey.
A post-mortem examination showed the cause of death was heart failure, exacerbated by multiple rib fractures, a urinary tract infection, bronchial-pneumonia and clostridium difficile diarrhoea (c-diff).
Pathologist Dr Jamie Simpson of St Richard's Hospital told the inquest that any three out of the four conditions could have led to his death.
West Sussex coroner Penelope Schofield recorded a verdict of accidental death.
She said: "This is a very sad case and one which can only be described as a tragic accident.
"We will probably never know who took the brakes off the wheelchair."
As no one can predict when the next accident is about to occur, would you want to find out why these accidents happen and reduce your risk of being involved in one?
Minibus Road Safety reference guide
- A problem built up over the years
- Minibus Road Safety (1 day ‘in class’ knowledge based training)
- Minibus Knowledge of Passenger Safety
- Minibus Road Safety (2 hour ‘on- road’ driving assessment)
- True Stories – Don’t let this happen to you
- Health & Safety and Managing Occupational Road Risk (MORR)
- Minibus Road Safety Challenge
