Victim's sister calls for tougher action on texting drivers

The sister of a woman killed in a crash with an HGV driver who was checking Facebook on his phone is calling for tougher penalties for people who use their phone while driving.

Anne Kerr died when James Majury crashed into her on the M58 in Lancashire in January 2019.

Joe Cairns, 14, was also killed and five people were seriously injured.

It comes as it has been 20 years since it became a criminal offence to use a phone while driving.

Ms Kerr's sister, Elaine Wyper, said her death had left a lasting impact on the family: "It's been awful. It's that empty seat at a table at Christmas.

"My dad never, ever got over it," she said.

"He passed away last year and he could never accept that Anne was gone and also the sentence that the lorry driver got."

Mobile phone records showed Majury, of Milton Road in Coppull, Chorley, had been using his phone throughout his journey.

During his trial, it was heard he sent texts, made calls, used sports apps, opened a medieval fantasy game and finally scoured Facebook while behind the wheel.

He only noticed the minibus carrying children to Pontville School, a special needs school in Ormskirk, half a second before the impact.

Despite braking hard, his lorry hit the minibus at 50mph.

Ms Kerr, who was a school transport assistant, and pupil Joe Cairns died at the scene.

Majury admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for eight years and 10 months.

He was also banned from driving for nearly 10 years.

Ms Wyper is now calling for tougher penalties for people who use their phones while they drive.

"How anyone, especially a lorry driver driving a nineteen tonne truck would think it was acceptable to open his phone and play games, send texts, make phone calls.

"Everything that you just don't do when you're driving," she said.

"The judge at the time said, effectively, it was a nineteen tonne battering ram. There was hardly anything left of the minibus Anne was in.

"People who witnessed it have contacted me to say it will live in their mind forever because it was so horrendous.

"I think there's a heck of a lot of work still to do."

She said people "still think 'I won't get caught'".

Ms Wyper added: "I think there needs to be tougher sentences, bigger fines and longer lengths of bans if you are caught."

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, X and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [email protected]