A vehicle recovery driver has pleaded guilty following an HSE investigation into a uncontrolled Range Rover rollaway that left a bystander badly injured.
A vehicle recovery driver has pleaded guilty in court following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into an incident where an unsecured Range Rover rolled out of control down a hill in Bournemouth. The runaway two-tonne vehicle dragged the recovery driver beneath it before striking a member of the public who had attempted to intervene. The bystander suffered severe injuries, including broken legs and spinal fractures.
The HSE inquiry established that the driver failed to take basic steps to secure the vehicle before initiating the recovery process. Operating on an incline without proper physical restraints or secondary holding measures created an immediate hazard to both the operator and the general public, resulting in preventable, life-altering injuries.
For any trade professional involved in transport, site delivery, or mobile equipment handling, the prosecution highlights the severe legal consequences of neglecting standard safe systems of work. Vehicle loading, unloading, and site movement carry substantial risk if strict isolation and mechanical braking procedures are skipped to save time.
The HSE continues to treat rollaway incidents strictly, prosecuting individual operators as well as principal contractors where training or procedures fall short. Maintaining written risk assessments and using wheel chocks, winches, and parking brakes correctly on all mobile plant and vehicles is mandatory across UK sites.
What does this mean for a UK tradesperson or DIYer actually buying this kit — does it change what they should pay, buy, or watch out for?
While this case involves specialist vehicle recovery, the legal and practical lessons apply directly to builders, plumbers, and electricians transporting heavy kit or operating plant on site. Tradespeople using trailers, drop-side vans, or heavy machinery should check that their vehicle accessories include heavy-duty rated wheel chocks and reliable secondary restraints. Commercial buyers should ensure all transport gear bought from merchants or tool stockists meets relevant UK safety ratings, and never rely solely on a standard handbrake when working on inclines.
Reported by HSE — original article
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