Toddler Dies in Driveway Tragedy After Friend Reverses Car in Wiltshire
A two-year-old boy tragically lost his life after being struck by a reversing car on a driveway in Tidcombe, near Marlborough, Wiltshire. An inquest at Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner's Court heard that Rufus Davies sustained fatal head injuries in the collision, which occurred in May last year.
Details of the Tragic Incident
Rufus was with his family visiting friends when the accident happened. They had driven onto the property's driveway and were waiting for their friend, Tamsin Hayward, to arrive. Rufus's mother, Olivia Davies, allowed him out of the vehicle as Mrs. Hayward approached.
In a written statement, Mrs. Davies explained, "I told Rufus that Tamsin had arrived, and he was so excited to see her, he wriggled to get out of the car. I opened the driver's door and helped him down. He ran round the back of the car." She assumed Mrs. Hayward would park straight in, but instead, Mrs. Hayward chose to reverse her Porsche Macan onto the driveway, her usual practice.
Mrs. Davies added, "I reached for my phone, water bottle and jumper from the passenger side, and as I got out of the driver's door, I heard my daughter say to me, 'Mummy, Rufus has been hit by Tamsin's car'. I then ran to the back of my car and saw Rufus laying on the floor."
Driver's Account and Emergency Response
Upon realizing she had hit the toddler, Mrs. Hayward immediately exited her car and began CPR while waiting for paramedics. Tragically, Rufus was declared dead at the scene moments later.
In her written account, Mrs. Hayward described driving slowly onto the driveway with her window down, waving to Olivia and her daughter. She stated, "I knew that Rufus was also coming that day, but he wasn't standing with Olivia and her daughter on the driver's side or anywhere to be seen on the driveway when I drove in."
She explained checking her mirrors before reversing, but felt a bump on the passenger's rear side. "I exited the car and saw a child lying on the gravel. To my horror I realised the gravity of the situation, and that Rufus must have been running behind me whilst I was reversing," she said, adding that she called 999 immediately.
Investigation and Coroner's Findings
PC Alexander Way, a collision investigator, confirmed no defects were found with the vehicle, and Mrs. Hayward tested negative for drugs and alcohol. He noted that the case did not meet the Crown Prosecution Service threshold for prosecution, as the driveway is not considered a public place under the Road Traffic Act, and the driving was not deemed careless.
A post-mortem examination revealed Rufus died from a diffuse traumatic head injury caused by impact with a motor vehicle. Area coroner Ian Singleton recorded a conclusion of misadventure.
He stated, "Rufus was so excited to see Tamsin that he wanted to get out of the car, so he was helped down and ran around the back of his mother's car, unwittingly into the path of Tamsin's car." The investigation highlighted that at 1.03 metres tall, Rufus would not have been visible through the rear window unless he was 4.3 metres away, and parking sensors would not extend that far, creating a blind spot.
Mr. Singleton expressed his condolences, saying, "That remains me to pass to the family of my very, very sincere condolences on your loss. I cannot imagine."
