The widow of a man killed when a lorry hit him says she sympathises with the driver
David Hirst reports.
The widow of a man who was killed on a smart motorway has told ITV Calendar that she feels 'very bad' for the lorry driver who has admitted causing his death.
44-year-old Jason Mercer and 22-year-old Alexandru Murgeanu died in June last year, when a lorry ploughed into their stationary cars on the M1 near Sheffield.
40-year-old Prezemyslaw Szuba admitted two counts of causing death by driving without due care and attention - and he now faces serving a jail sentence.
Jason's widow, Claire Mercer - has pointed the finger at Highways England, accusing them of compromising safety.
She has mounted a prominent campaign against smart motorways and the case has become a leading example in the ongoing debate over the safety of these roads in the UK.
Claire says she won't give up her campaign for a judicial review into smart motorways.
A Highways England spokesperson said:
“Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic incident.
“Any death on our roads is one too many. We are determined to do all we can to make our roads as safe as possible, and we will continue to work tirelessly to keep England’s motorways among the safest in the world. “We are committed to taking forward the recommendations of the Government’s Smart Motorway Evidence Stocktake and Action Plan to make our motorways even safer.”