A CORONER has highlighted the importance of wearing seatbelts following an inquest into the death of a young English student who was killed in a road crash shortly after arriving in Northern Ireland.
Michelle Hulford, a creative writing and dance student from Luton who attended Bath Spa University, died in a collision on the Ballymena Road in Doagh, Co Antrim, on the morning of July 9 2012.
The 21-year-old was a back seat passenger in car driven by the mother of her friend, and had just been collected from Belfast International Airport, when a Land Rover veered into the opposite lane and struck their car.
Michelle suffered a fatal skull fracture as a result of the crash, while the four others on board sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
A forensic report found it was likely that Michelle was the only one in the vehicle not wearing a seatbelt.
The hearing in Belfast’s Laganside Courthouse on Monday heard from farmer Stephen Hamilton, who following the crash was charged with causing death by careless driving before the charges were dropped.
Just before the crash he told the court that he was towing a trailer and turned a bend when he saw a van travelling in the opposite lane.
He said he made a “subconscious” manoeuvre to the left as the van approached, but this caused the trailer to “snake”. Mr Hamilton added: “I tried to correct it by turning right, but the further I travelled, it got increasingly worse."
A restricted driver, the young farmer had undergone a trailer-towing test, and the date of the crash was the second time he had driven with one attached since passing.
Addressing Michelle’s parents, who appeared at the hearing via video link from England, Mr Hamilton said: “I would just like to say how sorry I am...There’s not a day goes by that I don’t think of everyone involved.”
Thanking him, Mr Hulford replied: “We appreciate that; our hearts go out to you.”
Despite the findings suggesting Michelle had not been wearing a seatbelt, her parents said this was the issue that “exercised us the most”.
Mr Hulford said not wearing one was “out of character” for his daughter, who was “quite paranoid” about road safety.
Forensic scientist Damian Coll said it was unlikely Michelle’s seatbelt had malfunctioned, but said he was aware of one safety test in which a buckled crash test dummy had activated the seatbelt release button upon impact.
Speaking of his daughter, Mr Hulford said she was a person who “loved God, life and people,” and described how she had volunteered in orphanages in Africa, with ambitions to set-up a pre-school there.
“She has been the light of our lives both before her death, and after it,” he said.
Referring to Mr Hamilton, Mr Hulford said: “Knowing Michelle as we did, she would be very forgiving.”
He added: “Stephen, live your life to the full.”
Coroner Joseph McCrisken said the inquest was unable to offer a “definitive answer” to why Michelle appeared to not be wearing a seatbelt, but said the case highlighted that “seatbelts save lives”.
The coroner said the incident also proved the necessity of trailer safety.
