A husband and wife tragically died when a mechanical fault on their car caused it to roll out of control into an oncoming vehicle last year. The rear axle on the Ford Fusion was severely corroded but had passed its MOT three times, even though the corrosion had been highlighted as an “advisory” in an MOT in 2021, an inquest heard.
Coroner, Marianne Johnson, said she will consider making a finding of Preventable Future Deaths following the double fatal crash on the A18 in North Lincolnshire. She said the fault should have been picked up at an MOT testing centre.
Peter Rayden, 86, and his wife Elaine Hill, 72, of Great Limber, died on June 8 last year as they travelled on the A18 from Barnetby-le-Wold towards Melton Ross. Witnesses saw the Ford lose control near the foot of the hill and roll over into the path of an oncoming Saab car heading out of Melton Ross at around 5.45pm.
Ms Johnson said the deaths of the husband and wife were a result of a road traffic collision “contributed to by the mechanical defects of the vehicle.” Post mortem examinations revealed both died from multiple traumatic injuries.
An inquest at Grimsby Town Hall heard the coroner express her condolences to the family of the husband and wife. Daughter, Melanie Rayden, said her mother was born in Hull and worked as a shop assistant and married Peter Rayden in 1975. She won trophies at line-dancing around the country.
She had ten grandchildren and one great grandchild. Peter had a business supplying pumps to businesses and temporary traffic lights for roadworks. He was also a keen sailor. The daughter said: “They are both sadly missed by family and friends.”
Audi driver Emma Bennett was in the car behind the Ford Fusion when she saw it “wiggle, flip and collide with an oncoming car”, the inquest heard. She went to give First Aid and realised both the passenger and driver were severely injured. In a statement read at the inquest, she said: “The Saab could not have avoided the collision.”
Another witness said they saw the Ford lose control “as if oversteering causing it to roll to the right”. She also said there was no preventative action the Saab driver could have taken.
The Saab driver, who was returning to West Yorkshire from Ingoldmells after a family holiday, said she saw the Ford “rolling over into her path.” In a statement read at the inquest, she said: “I remember thinking I hoped it would roll over (missing) her car. I could not see why it would lose control. It was like hitting a brick wall.” She suffered chest pains and her husband in the passenger seat suffered minor injuries.
Forensic collision investigator Grant Anderson attended the scene on the A18. He said the rear axle of the Ford was “severely corroded.” He added it showed evidence of “a fresh break”.
“I believe the break caused the collision,” he said. After examination of the history of the 2003-registered vehicle, it showed an MOT advisory from March 2021.
Mr Rayden had bought the car some time after that MOT. However, no repair was carried out, the expert told the inquest.
He said it was not a fault the owner could have identified and might only have become apparent at its next MOT. But there was no record of any repair in 2022, 2023 and it passed its MOT in September 2024, despite the fault. Mr Anderson said the mechanical failure was due to excessive corrosion of the axle. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is responsible for accreditation of MOT testing centres, the inquest heard.
Humberside Police serious collision unit PC Melisa N’Jie-Jarred told the inquest a police investigation was carried out into the mechanical history of the car and procedures at MOT testing centres.
She said an examination of a vehicle uses a small hammer to tap metal. “If it goes through, it is a fail. If it doesn’t go through, it is an advisory,” she said, adding that the thickness of the metal is not tested. She said there was no mention of the axle fault in the September 2024 MOT. The police officer said: “It is something into which enquiries should be made.” The coroner said: “It is not going to repair itself.”
Ms Melanie Rayden said: “I feel something should be in place. It should not have been allowed to have passed its MOT. MOTs are there to make it safe. Why after three years was this not picked up? It should not have been on the road. It was not roadworthy.”
Ms Johnson said: “It is a concern that it was not picked up.” In her narrative conclusion, the coroner said the “excessive corrosion caused sudden and catastrophic loss of control and was something he [the driver] would not have been aware of”.
She said motorists “rely upon garages to determine the condition of vehicles.” She added: “It should have been picked up at subsequent MOTs. It seems a bit hit or miss on the hammer test.” She concluded both deaths were as a result of a road traffic collision contributed to by mechanical defects on the Ford.
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