Mrs Michelle Hindson
45 Fox Crescent
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 2BN
An open letter to whom it may concern. (2nd email)
I am writing you all at once with the hope that we as a family may finally get some help with an issue that we feel needs tackling.
Allow me to explain briefly, in December 2016 our 23 year old daughter was found along with her friend, dead inside a modified car, the cause ruled at an inquest as carbon monoxide poisoning as a result of the car being inadequately modified.
2 years down the line and we still miss her every day,
We have been in correspondence with Chris Grayling MP, who via whatever means he has available has had an information sheet published; this is now available on the Gov.uk website. Within this information sheet it states that under the Road Traffic Act 1988 (section 42) it is an offence to use an on road vehicle which has been modified in such a way that it no longer complies with the air pollutant emissions standards it was designed to meet, the penalties of £1000 per car and £2500 per bus, van or lorry are also enforceable, it goes on to state that it is an offence to alter a vehicle in such a way that the use of the vehicle on a road would be unlawful, this also carries potential unlimited fines.
Our daughter paid way more than a fine for being in a passenger in a badly modified car, She lost her life.
The law is out there but no one so far seems to be taking responsibility for enforcing it.
The car had been modified in such a way that it was not safe, or road legal, the emissions produced were 1000 times higher than the legal limit required to pass an MOT, but this went undetected as it was a newer car and was therefore exempt from any MOT, this car was driving around the roads throwing out huge amounts of deadly gases and unlike poorly maintained cars with lights not working or tyres that are worn, this is an issue that cannot be seen, heard or smelt, but can still kill so why is it not being taken seriously??
So to the police I ask why can they not enforce this when carrying out roadside checks?
To the Government I ask why is this law out there if it is not being enforced?, both from a traffic problem but also an air pollution perspective.
To the DVSA I ask why are we just looking at HGVS and buses, when cars can be just as lethal?
To the Motor industry why are carbon monoxide detectors not fitted as a safety feature within cars? If you can install windscreen wipers to detect rain why not install something that can save a live.
Whilst what happened to our daughter is not an everyday occurrence, it still happened, and it shouldn’t have done, and it shouldn’t be ignored, it could happen again.
Information links –
www.chelmsfordweeklynews.co.uk/news/15172840.VIDEO police release forensic footage that show what led to the deaths of Tom Putt and Nikki Willis
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-39339063
Awaiting a hopeful response.
Michelle Hindson