Sarah’s mother Mary was killed in a crash when a speeding car struck the taxi she was using at the entrance of Mandale Road in Bradford. The car that collided with Mary’s taxi was racing another car at the time of the crash.
The crash occurred directly outside of Mary’s home and was witnessed by family and neighbours who all formed part of the close-knit community. Sarah was informed that Mary had been in the middle of paying the taxi fare when the car hit and was killed instantly at the scene. The crash occurred just around the corner from where Sarah lived herself. The individual responsible for the crash was arrested at the scene, and the other car that was involved in the race initially drove off but later handed themselves in to police.
Mary was only 51 at the time of the crash and was at the core of a very close family and community. She was a loving daughter who cared for her parents, and a fantastic mother to Sarah, and grandmother to Sarah’s children, regularly taking them to and from school. Mary saw her family every day, meaning her sudden death had a huge impact on the family. In an instant, their lives as they knew it changed forever.
Mary, 51, was killed while paying for a taxi outside her home
In an instant, we lost our mum, Mary, and life for our family changed forever. I am sharing her story to educate people of all ages about the dangers of getting behind the wheel and the importance of safe roads for all. Road victims like my mum need a voice.
In the almost 10 years since the crash, Sarah has sought to build resilience and a new reality by raising awareness of the impact of Mary’s loss. She goes into schools to educate young people about the dangers of getting behind the wheel, especially when operating a high-performance vehicle such as the one involved in the crash that caused her mother’s death.
Sarah has also raised money for Brake, taking part in the Great North Run, something which her mother who was a passionate runner would have been incredibly proud of. Sharing Mary’s story allows Sarah not only to raise awareness and educate others, but also gives her the opportunity talk about how much of a wonderful person her mother was, and the difference she made in everybody’s lives.