M40 driver should have taken a break to prevent death of his passenger

Warning to Drivers: Take Breaks to Prevent Fatalities

A man has been jailed for causing the death of his passenger in a van collision on the M40 near Warwick.

TAKING a break when driving, especially at night, can be the difference between life and death.

According to PC Craig Pearson, one of Warwickshire Police's serious collision investigators, the collision occurred in May 2024 when Legard Swaby was driving from London to Birmingham. The van crashed into the back of a lorry at 91 miles per hour with no attempt to break or steer, resulting in catastrophic injuries to the passenger, who later died in hospital.

Swaby claimed he was trying to wake the passenger to take a turn at driving, but police enquiries suggested that fatigue was a contributing factor to the collision.

Author's summary: Driver jailed for fatal collision on M40.

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The Stratford Observer The Stratford Observer — 2025-10-14