Teenager killed after being struck by lorry’s oversized wing mirror on country road
Probe ordered after school girl was clipped by recovery firm’s truck which was not complying to legal limits
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Your support makes all the difference.An investigation has been ordered after a 14-year-old girl was killed when she was clipped by a lorry’s oversized wing mirror.
Holly Chevassut suffered a “traumatic spinal cord injury” after being struck by the 7.5-ton truck while walking along a country road in the Warwickshire village of Harbury. She died two days later on 2 November, 2018.
By law, wing mirrors must stick out no more than 20cm from the widest part of a vehicle.
But an inquest heard the lorry – an Isuzu owned by GRS Recovery – was found to be in excess of that limit when it smashed into Holly on the narrow road.
Assistant coroner for Warwickshire, Tom Leeper, has now written to the truck firm, based in Leamington Spa, ordering a probe into the incident.
He said: “During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern.
“In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.
“GRS continues to operate vehicles … which project more than 20cm from the widest part of those vehicles. Such a configuration creates a risk of personal injury and death to people overtaken by these vehicles.”
The firm confirmed it had now altered the mirrors on their vans to comply with regulations.
Following the hearing on Friday, Holly’s family paid tribute to their “beautiful daughter”.
In a statement, they said: “Holly was a wonderful young woman; talented, creative, funny and beautiful.
“She made us laugh, sometimes cry and we are so very proud of her, of all she achieved and all that she might have become.
“She is much-loved by her family and friends and will be greatly missed.
“We would like to thank all the emergency services and the staff at University Hospital in Coventry for the care and respect they gave to Holly and us, the many friends of Holly for their thoughtful and caring messages, and our friends and family for their ongoing love and support.”