Driver found guilty after deadly crash on malfunctioning smart motorway
Van driver guilty of killing woman in crash on faulty smart motorway
- Barry O’Sullivan, a van driver, has been convicted of causing death by careless driving after a fatal collision on the M4.
- The incident occurred on 7 March 2022, when O’Sullivan’s van hit a Nissan Micra that was stationary in the fast lane of the M4 westbound in Berkshire.
- Pulvinder Dhillon, a passenger in the Micra, sustained fatal injuries in the crash, which caused the Nissan to burst into flames.
- The trial heard that an unresolved technical failure on the M4 smart motorway network meant alerts for broken-down vehicles were not properly communicated for five days prior to the collision.
- Despite the motorway's system failure, the prosecution successfully argued O’Sullivan drove carelessly and at speed, failing to notice the stationary vehicle and other motorists avoiding it.
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