Yesterday over here on the Isle of Wight a tragic accident happened that involved a BMW saloon.

Accidents like this are increasing sadly, this being the 5th in the last 12 months, altho just the second involving a BMW.

This is our first weekend of the school holidays and a very busy for families coming here on holiday from the mainland.  One family, who hadn't been over very long have lost their little boy through a freak accident that can happen to anyone.

The family were sat on a local beach yesterday afternoon.  Some 12ft above them is a carpark.  A BMW saloon was being parked and for reasons as yet unknown, the car rolled forward and over the edge.  The toddler was fatally injured and died instantly, his Daddy was seriously hurt.

The police arrested the driver, as yet no-one knows if it was purely a dreadful accident or not.  However, regardless of that, it brings home just how easy it is to get into difficulties with your car, especially an automatic.  In the rush to get out into the sunshine or just knocking the car into gear by mistake can cause immeasurable pain and anguish.

My thoughts go to both families..that of the 2 yr old little boy and that of the driver of the car.  There by the grace of God go any of us.

The local Council are under fire also cos they refused to place proper curbing or retaining walls on the edge of the carpark.  Instead the installed 4" high curbstones citing that the view of Sandown Bay was more valuable to visitors than the safety of those on the beach below as accidents like this are rare.

Always try to remember to make sure your car is parked up and not in a position that it can roll forwards or backwards by accident. 

Both families will be going through hell right now.  A tragic accident that could have been avoided.

Thanks for the post Ally.

Would you be kind enough to let us know the outcome ?

Just for personal interest.

Once the attention grabbing headline of toddler killed has gone, we dont often hear any more.

I learned today that the driver of the car involved was known to me and who I had not seen for several years.  I had actually thought they had left the Island.

They can't remember much about what happened, it all went so fast.  One minute the car was there and the next...

They are devastated.  The Mum of the little lad returned home and his Dad was transferred to a London hospital where his condition is stable.

Investigations are still ongoing in respect to the cause of the car moving like it did.  The driver is on bail pending those investigations being completed.

All that has been released thusfar regarding the car is that it is undergoing a complete inspection today.  It is an 'F' reg, possibly 5 series, although the authorities are not giving out anything else at the moment they are asking people if they saw it in the hours leading up to the accident.

The driver passed breath tests etc and has been released on Police bail.

Once the car has been inspected, we will know if its a case of worn gates on the autobox that allowed the gear lever to move without unlocking it first.  A very common problem with older gearboxes.

Horsetan wrote: Goldryder wrote: All that has been released thusfar regarding the car is that it is undergoing a complete inspection today.  It is an 'F' reg, possibly 5 series.... It's a 1988/9 E34 Five. Photos have been all over the papers over the weekend....

I don't get a newspaper, I just read teletext

Good god, I have an 88 E34 5 series auto, and I have kids too.

Guess who is going to be checking his gearbox in the morning ?

Sloppy autoboxes are found on several cars, not just reserved for 5 series BMW's.  My last car was an auto Turbo Supra, 1991 reg, that box was notorious for not locking the gearlever, it was part of the cause for its final accident a few days after I sold it in February this year.  It went out of control and went into trees, the owner knocked the lever with his knee as he got out of the car and before he knew what was happening, the car careered backwards into another tree and ended up with a 14" deep dent from the rear pillar to roof center.

One thing I noticed right away with my 635, the box is as new, very tight on the gates and you have to unlock the lever or it won't budge.

Always pays to use the handbrake methinks....

Andy (Wiv a slushbox)   West Midlands

Unexpected twist to this tragedy.

The police have discovered no faults on the car despite its age etc.  The general condition of the car was no worse than to be expected on a car of this age/miles.  The gearbox was worn but not to a detrimental state and although the gates on the autobox didn't require unlocking before movement, this was not classed as a major cause of the accident.

However,

The driver was using a provisional licence only.  Did not display 'L' plates and the 3 passengers also did not hold current full licences.  This has nullified insurance on the vehicle.  The police have yet to confirm if legal action against the driver will occur, although in the circumstances this does seem highly likely.  The driver is 44 years old.

Where does the family of the child stand in this though?

No insurance on the car, unlicenced driver..surely a civil case?  But then what is the value of the child and that of the injuries of the Dad and the trauma of the family as a whole in this mess?

I know it is very early days, I hope the family do have the book thrown at the driver and anyone in the car who knew he wasn't licenced.  The life of a 2yr old has been lost and his Dad was almost killed too.  There can be no price put on what the family has been through, but I hope something positive can come from all this.

As for the driver and his family, there can be no excuse for what has happened.  This will stay with all of them, and hopefully will make people think twice before anyone else gets behind the wheel of a car and drive without the correct qualification.

From what I managed to find out from the Traffic Dept, the car will be destroyed. 

The one thing that will probably never be known through all this is WHY did the car run forwards and over the top of the seawall like it did.  The car may have been exonerated and the driver wasn't licenced, but that still doesn't answer why the tragedy happened in the first place.

So, I guess we will all be more careful when parking up, making sure the car is securely braked and hopefully something like this can be avoided in the future.  These accidents happen all too frequently, on this occasion it appears its going to be driver error.  But we all lapse into bad habits, and we all put the car into neutral, turn to speak to a rear seat passenger and maybe step on the accelerator and maybe knock the gearlever into drive or reverse.....licence or no licence...

There but by the grace of God go any one of us.

I think I so that episode of poice camera action, I could belive that the teenage was delt with like that, if I remember correctly that teenager was 14 years old

Where is the justice, and why are the parents not taken to court

IMHO the main problem with teens who steal cars...or carry out any offence really...is the lack of respect and discipline.

Thanks to those oddballs at Brussels we are not alowed to smack our kids..I had many good hidings and I am still here...OK its fine to legislate against cruelty, thats different, but how else are you going to tell a child what is right and wrong without the occasional clip round the ear?

Teens say they steal cars cos they are bored..well when I was a teen (a while ago now) I got bored sometimes but I used my loaf and went and found something constructive to do.  Being 'bored' is getting to be as common an excuse and being drunk for bad behaviour.

Granted the driver over here is in his 40's, but that is quite unusual.

Justice...well..no amount of fine, ban or prison will ever bring back the loved ones lost or maimed but it might just bring closure to those left behind.  The entire justice system is rotten from top to bottom, has been ignored for years now.  Our sentencing is often draconian and usually less than it should be.  The powers at be argue it takes too long and too much money to change the system from its current 19th century stance to 21st century...but then you have to ask yourself...

How much value do you put on lives lost, maimed and ruined?

Goldryder

Couldn't agree more, no amount of compensation can ever replace the love of a family member.

I know a good hiding from my father when I'd done something wrong never did me any harm, and it gave me respect for my elders