An elderly couple from Greater Manchester died in a crash on the A494 in north Wales after the accelerator pedal of their automatic car was 'probably mistaken for the brake', an inquest has heard. Norman Clarke, 81, a former mechanic, and his wife Doreen, 78, a retired book-keeper, were killed when their Ford Focus hit a central reservation barrier and then veered across the road into a tree.
The collision occurred on September 6 last year on the A494 at Aston Hill, Flintshire. The couple, from Grotton, Oldham, were returning home from their caravan in Betws-yn-Rhos, near Abergele, which they visited several times a year. Collision investigator Ian Thompson told the inquest in Ruthin that with no mechanical defects, no medical problems, and good weather and road conditions, there was 'no other explanation' for the tragedy.
Witness Kirsty Hughes, travelling in the same direction, described the Ford Focus passing her at high speed, likening it to a police pursuit seen on television. Another motorist, Shirley Gelder, said the car was going 'like a bat out of hell'. The crash was so severe that the car's engine was thrown out. Post-mortem examinations revealed both died from 'traumatic chest injuries'. Mrs Clarke was not wearing a seatbelt, but the assistant coroner said a belt would not have saved her.
The couple's son, Paul Clarke, told police his father had previously suffered minor strokes but was a careful driver and would have called for a lift if unwell. Mr Thompson noted that research shows older drivers of automatic cars sometimes press the accelerator instead of the brake, pressing harder when they think they should be slowing. Assistant coroner Joanne Lees recorded a verdict of death from a road traffic collision.
The inquest heard the couple were born and brought up in Oldham, met at a youth club, and were highly regarded in their community.
