A British coroner has blamed a vehicle design flaw for the tragic death of a seven-year-old boy. Alfie Tollett died in a horrific accident in the southern English city of Plymouth when he was crushed between two cars, one of which was an $80,000 Jaguar I-PACE electric SUV. The young boy was removing his rugby boots at the back of his parent’s car when the SUV smashed into him. His father desperately moved his own car to try to free his son, but his injuries were so severe that he died later the same day in hospital.
Following a subsequent inquest, Assistant coroner for Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay, Deborah Archer, wrote to the CEO of Jaguar Land Rover and stated that while she accepts the cause of the boy’s death was accidental, she also noted that the vehicle did not sufficiently alert drivers as to whether their car was in drive or reverse.
Archer explained that the incident happened because the SUV’s driver believed he had put the car into reverse. The coroner noted that the unnamed motorist, who has since died, failed to realize that the reserve warning signal was not engaged, partly because it is so difficult to hear. In summary, Ms. Archer criticized the car’s design, saying there is “no intermediary step,” and that the vehicle is placed into drive or reverse merely by pressing one button.
The coroner concluded her letter to Jaguar by saying, “In my opinion, action should be taken to prevent future deaths, and I believe you have the power to take such action.”
British media investigations into the Jaguar I-PACE electric SUV reveal it has been implicated in several similar incidents. Some drivers claim that the car accelerates unexpectedly. For instance, a driver in Manchester, England, smashed into a house when the car increased its speed without warning, and a woman in Lancashire described how her vehicle “suddenly went off like a rocket.”
Former Big Brother contestant Craig Philips said he and his family were endangered when his brake failed to activate despite pressing hard on the pedal. Others complain that the pedals are too close together or oddly positioned, making it easy for drivers to push the wrong lever.
