Police worker killed by a lorry as she inspected crash damage on M61 may have ‘fallen asleep at wheel’
Samantha Derbyshire, 23, who had just been accepted to her dream job as a police constable, died at 3.30am on the M61 motorway near Bolton, Greater Manchester after finishing a late shift
A POLICE worker who had just been accepted to become a police constable died after she was struck by a lorry on the motorway.
Samantha Derbyshire had crashed while driving home from a late shift and was inspecting the damaged when she was hit and killed.
The inquest into the 23-year-old's death heard she could have fallen asleep at the wheel before crashing.
The young woman, who had just been accepted to her dream job, died at 3.30am on the M61 motorway near Bolton, Greater Manchester.
She had worked for more than a year as a special constable in her home town of Bolton and just weeks before the accident had passed tests to become a police officer.
The inquest in Bolton heard her Ford Fiesta had collided with the central reservation on the motorway between Farnworth and Westhoughton on Monday, July 4.
Witnesses reported seeing Samantha's car swerve from the inside lane across three lanes of traffic before crashing into the central reservation before coming to a stop in the inside lane.
Unable to move the car, she got out of the vehicle and went to the hard shoulder, telling a witness she had "nodded off" at the wheel.
She returned to the car to inspect the damage and to put on the car's hazard warning lights and was struck by a passing HGV.
The inquest heard that she had just finished a 6pm to 3am shift in Bolton. And although she had previously raised concerns over the motorway being dangerous due to streetlights not being turned on, no fears had been raised over her suffering a lack of sleep.
Coroner Alan Walsh said: "From the evidence, it is likely that she was drowsy or had a short period where she may have gone to sleep.
"She then collided with the central reservation and the car was left straddling lanes one and two.
"She took it upon herself as a duty of care to go back to the car, probably to put her hazard lights on to alert other drivers.
"It was then that a collision occurred involving Mr Well's vehicle."
Earlier in the inquest there had been evidence from Samantha's father, Robert Derbyshire, who said she was used to working late shifts.
He said: "She learnt to drive at the age of 17 and she was driving a Ford Fiesta at the time of her death.
"She was a very careful driver and would have been used to driving her car from home to a place of work.
"On the weekend that she died on the Saturday night she had been out with friends. I would have expected to see her on the Monday.
"On the Sunday she spent time at home and rested before her shift that evening.
"In the week leading up to her death there had been no problems with her health.
"She was working on a rota system and she was on a shift that started at 6pm and finished at 3am.
"She was used to working that shift and she had been working for about four to five months."
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Witness Kevin Howell, a Ford Transit driver, said: "The weather was dry and visibility was clear but it was very dark.
"I saw car in front of me in lane one. It slowly veered off to the right and bounced off the barrier of the central reservation and back into the lanes.
"I then pulled onto the hard shoulder and was beeping my horn to get her to come over.
"The car was diagonal between lane one and lane two. The front of the car was facing the hard shoulder and the rear was facing the central reservation.
"She looked across and I was telling her to come over to the hard shoulder. She got out her car and she came over to my vehicle.
"She stood at my door on the passenger side and said: 'I don't know what I've done. I've just finished a shift and I don't know what to do. I've never nodded off before. I have never had an accident before, I don't know what to do.
"When I rang the police she was still stood by the van.
"I only realised she had gone when I finished the phone call and I looked round for her but I couldn't see her.
"The next thing I became aware of a bang and there had been a collision.
"I remember people coming down the hard shoulder and shortly after the emergency services arrived and told me that Sam had died.
"If that stretch of motorway had been lit this would have never happened."
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PC Paul Hailwood said the fact that street lights were not on in that stretch of road had played a major part in the incident.
He said: "I am sure that the collision would not have occurred if there had been better lighting on this stretch of road because the lorry driver would have been able to take appropriate action.
"In the future it would be better to have better lighting to make sure these sort of collisions are avoided."
Delivering a verdict that Samantha died as a result of a road traffic accident coroner Mr Walsh said: "I am satisfied that the cause of death was multiple injuries.
"The evidence that I have heard is that Sam was 23 years old and I have no doubt she was full of public and community spirit.
"She was a young lady who was very intelligent and had become a special constable and had just been accepted to become a police officer and had been due to start in October 2016.
"I cannot think of a person more dedicated to their career to serve as a police officer.
"On the night in question she had been working on a shift that began at 6pm and finished at 3am.
"I am satisfied that she had gone to bed the night before in preparation for her shift.
"I am aware from the evidence that she was concerned about her journey at night which was dark and unlit.
"From the evidence, it is likely that she was drowsy or had a short period where she may have gone to sleep.
"She then collided with the central reservation and the car was left straddling lanes one and two.
"She took it upon herself as a duty of car to go back to the car, probably to put her hazard lights on to alert other drivers.
"It was then that a collision occurred involving Mr Wells' vehicle.
"I am satisfied that the collision was unavoidable and from the evidence given by the police, that Mr Wells did a good job to bring his vehicle to the hard shoulder to avoid a much greater collision.
"It may come as some consolation to the family that she most likely died very quickly.
"I find that she died as a consequence of a road traffic accident.
"I accept what PC Hailwood said that if there had been lights in this area that the collision would not have occurred.
"I am concerned enough to report this to the relevant authorities. My sufficient concerns are the transition from bright lights to total darkness and my second concern is that the M61 is unlit in some areas.
"If something good can come of this tragedy is that some action can be taken in relation to that road so that future fatalities and incidents can be reduced."
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Addressing Mr Derbyshire, Mr Walsh added: "You should be very proud of your daughter. She was on the threshold of her career and it is important to remember her achievements.
"Greater Manchester Police have the lost the opportunity to have an excellent officer."
Tributes were paid to Samantha at the time of her death. In a statement, her family said: "Sam was our fun loving, beautiful, amazing daughter, sister, granddaughter, and niece.
"She was also such a funny, clever and amazing friend but also a fantastic, enthusiastic Special Constable which she worked so hard to achieve.
"She was a very social person and enjoyed keeping fit. She had just completed the Great Manchester Run.
"Sam was a Special Constable for Greater Manchester Police. She was so proud of this and loved it. She had recently been informed that she had passed her entry tests and had been accepted to join GMP as a constable later this year.
"She was so looking forward to this; it is all she has ever wanted to do.
"We as a family are devastated by what has happened to Sam and couldn't be any more proud of her. She was better than all of us and lived her life to the full every day. We will miss her greatly."
GMP's Chief Constable Ian Hopkins added: "Not only was Samantha a serving member of police staff but she dedicated her own time to helping others as a Special Constable in Bolton.
"She had also recently been successful in her application to become a police officer and this morning's tragic incident means she will sadly not get the chance to fulfil her dream.
"To be taken from her family and friends at such a young age is terrible and a great loss to the force; she will be greatly missed."
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