Civilian staff not properly trained

[Standard Dave]

Fatal crash inquest is adjourned


A coroner has adjourned an inquest into a fatal road crash after hearing a PCSO say she did not have enough training to deal with the situation.

The accident happened on the A46 between Nottingham and Leicester, near the junction for Six Hills, on 14 August 2007.
An 81-year-old man and 74-year-old woman died and 11 others injured when a coach was in collision with a minibus.


The coroner said important issues had been raised that needed investigation.
The collision happened shortly after a previous crash at the same place.
Leicestershire Police were called to the first road accident - while they were dealing with it a second crash happened, involving a minibus. The two pensioners who died - Dennis Riley, 81 and Patsy Orange, 74 - were in the minibus.

Giving evidence at the inquest in Loughborough police community support officer (PCSO) Laura Payne said she had been at the scene.


PCSO Payne said she had been blocking off the crash lane with her police car, with the lights flashing.

But she said she had not put out any cones or warning signs because she did not feel she was properly trained and did not feel safe getting out of her car.

She also told the coroner that she had not called on her colleagues for any assistance.

Coroner Olivia Davison, asked PCSO Payne whether she was "properly trained to deal with the incident...to deal with a road traffic collision on an A road, a normal road?"
"Yes. To deal with a road traffic collision on a dual carriageway...no", she replied.

The coroner told her: "The procedures of keeping the public and your colleagues safe weren't followed."
Under repeated questioning PCSO Payne admitted that she would now do things differently.


The passengers who died both suffered abdominal injuries - pathologist Professor Guy Rutty questioned the use of the lap belts they were wearing.

He said had the pair been wearing three or five-point restraints the outcome could have been very different.

After hearing Wednesday's evidence the coroner decided to call a halt to the proceedings, adjourning the inquest.
Ms Davison said "extremely important issues had been raised", and she wanted more time to investigate them so she could properly assess why "two vulnerable people" died.

BBC NEWS | England | Leicestershire | Fatal crash inquest is adjourned

[jmur5074]

That's insane.

She sat in her car, and didn't call for help when she didn't know what to do? Really????

[lewisipso]

That's not lack of training. That's a lack of commonsense.

[Pudge]

That's not lack of training. That's a lack of commonsense.

+1


That's a better case for "I didn't want to", rather than "I didn't know".

[Retdetsgt]

You need to train someone to get out of a car and put out cones?!?

[MacLean]

You need to train someone to get out of a car and put out cones?!?

Sir, these days we have training classes to teach people how to do damn near anything you can think of.

[Retdetsgt]

Sir, these days we have training classes to teach people how to do damn near anything you can think of.

Wow, I worked nearly four months before they sent me to the academy!