A CORONER has issued an urgent safety warning to Jaguar after a boy, seven, was crushed to death between two cars.
Alfie Tollett was tragically killed on February 19 last year after the driver of a Jaguar I-PACE mistakenly put his car into drive instead of reverse.
The young boy had been taking off his rugby boots after watching his brother play at Plymstock Albion Oaks Rugby club in Plymouth when the horror unfolded.
He was crushed by the £70,000 electric SUV while he stood behind his family’s white VW van.
An inquest heard that Jaguar I-PACEs have three buttons for the driver to select – neutral, drive and reverse – instead of a gear stick.
The unnamed driver of the Jaguar “relied on feel” to select the correct button, while trying to straighten up his vehicle, the inquest heard.
But he instead drove forward for up to 10 seconds after failing to notice the reversing warning alarm had not gone off.
The inquest heard how Alfie’s heartbroken father jumped into his car and moved it forward to free his son.
The seven-year-old was rushed to hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Cops arrested a 55-year-old man on suspicion of causing death by careless driving at the time of the tragedy.
The driver died shortly after the accident, and there has been no prosecution.
In a Prevention of Future Death report, Assistant coroner for Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, Deborah Archer, wrote to the CEO of Jaguar Land Rover.
She wrote: “Although it is accepted that this death was accidental, during the inquest the following information came to light as a result of the investigating police officer giving evidence.
“‘There were a number of errors that were made by the driver which caused or contributed to the death.
“These were wrongly placing the car in drive instead of reverse.
“Failing to look down at the camera and pressing the button to move forward by touch alone.
“Failing to realise that the reversing warning sound which was said to be very difficult to hear inside the car was not engaged.
“Driving forward and continuing to do so for 8-10 seconds after the accelerator was pressed.
“Failing to press the brake at any time.
“However, these errors occurred as a result of there being no intermediary step within the Jaguar I-PACE being necessary to put the car into drive/reverse other than pressing a button.
“In the police officer’s opinion if there had also been a lever or something similar present in the vehicle that needed to be engaged before a button was pressed this may have alerted [the driver] to the fact that he had pushed the incorrect button on the three button console.
“In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you have the power to take such action.”
Ms Archer added that the car firm has until October 22 to respond.
A spokesperson for Jaguar said: “We have received correspondence from the Coroner and shall be responding in due course.
“Our thoughts and sympathies, however, are with the family of Alfie Tollett, following his accidental death.”
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