Coroner raises safety concerns after father and son drown in Louth Canal crash
The current system relies on annual reviews of crash information
A coroner has warned urgent changes are needed to Lincolnshire’s road safety procedures after a father and son died when their car plunged into the Louth Canal.
David Walsh, 40, and his teenage son Cameron were both killed in January 2024, when their Mercedes left the road and entered the water near Tetney.
Despite desperate rescue efforts, both were pronounced dead at the scene.
At the inquest into their deaths, HM Assistant Coroner Marianne Johnson raised serious concerns about delays in how road crash data is shared between police and the highways department.
The current system relies on annual reviews of crash information, which Johnson says could allow dangerous roads to go unaddressed for months.
She’s now issued a formal report to Lincolnshire County Council and Lincolnshire Police, calling on both organisations to act to help prevent future deaths.
They have until August to respond.