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A devastating motorhome crash on the A64 westbound between Malton and York resulted in the tragic loss of a mother and two of her children. Shirley Hunt, 44, along with her daughter Ellie, nine, and son Oscar, five, were killed instantly when their vehicle collided with a parked lorry after a tyre explosion.

The heart-wrenching incident occurred as Craig Hunt was driving his family back home to Greasborough, Rotherham, following a holiday in Whitby in August 2021. The family was travelling in a converted 7.5-tonne DAF commercial van, with the two boys seated in the front cab and Mrs Hunt and Ellie in the living area at the rear.

According to Mr Hunt’s testimony at the inquest held at North Yorkshire Coroner’s Court, the journey was uneventful until he heard a loud bang as the tyre blew out, causing the vehicle’s steering to become unresponsive. Despite applying emergency brakes, Mr Hunt was unable to avoid colliding with an articulated flatbed HGV parked in a layby’s rest area.

Mrs. Hunt, Ellie, and Oscar suffered fatal injuries in the crash, while Mr. Hunt and their son Brooklyn survived. It was revealed that Mr. Hunt and Brooklyn were wearing seatbelts, but the boys did not have booster seats. However, the inquest concluded that the use of booster seats would not have saved Oscar, who bore the brunt of the impact.

Forensic collision investigator TC Paddy Green from North Yorkshire Police confirmed that the tyre, manufactured in 2002, had a small hole in the tread that had gradually expanded over time, causing a sudden deflation. Despite the tyre being described as serviceable and appropriate in terms of inflation and tread depth, the gradual damage would not have been visible to the naked eye.

While witness accounts confirmed Mr. Hunt’s driving had been normal before the crash, TC Green emphasized the importance of seatbelts, noting that two of the three restrained occupants survived. However, it was deemed insufficient evidence to conclude that seatbelts would have saved Mrs Hunt and Ellie.

Assistant coroner Alison Norton expressed her intention to compile a Prevention of Future Deaths report regarding the lack of laws preventing both adults and children from travelling in the rear of motorhomes without restraint, highlighting the associated risks to life.

The tragic incident serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of road safety and the need for adequate measures to prevent similar accidents in the future.