'Mum would still be alive if speed limit cut'

Barbara Howard, 78, died in hospital from her injuries after a car crashed into her house

The family of a woman who died after a car crashed into her house says if speed measures had been put in place, she would still be alive.

Barbara Howard, 78, died from her injuries in hospital after a Jaguar car struck her home in Coventry, following a collision with a VW van at the junction of Shilton Lane and Lentons Lane on 17 July.

Her son-in-law Bill Davies said the crash had not been the first time a car had hit the house, and the family had reported their concerns to the council in April 2022.

A spokesperson for Coventry City Council said the location had not previously been identified as a road safety priority and it was currently subject to a 30mph speed limit.

Mr Davies described how 15 months earlier a car had lost control at the same junction. However there had been scaffolding in front of the property at the time, which he believed saved the house from similar consequences of the later fatal crash.

He added that both the police and a council representative had been to the house after the first incident, and it was then he raised concerns.

"I stood there and said to them, 'You need to put measures in place, either some railings or speed bumps or average speed cameras, because someone is going to get killed'."

Mr Davies said his concerns were acknowledged at the time, but "nothing was done".

He added that his mother-in-law had been unwell and was lying in her bed that was positioned in front of the downstairs window at the time of the crash.

In a tribute to Ms Howard, her family previously described her as "caring, sharing, glamorous, and stunning" and said she was "someone who loved life".

"My mother-in-law now has been taken and stolen from us. She was poorly, but she was stable and enjoying what quality of life she had," Mr Davies said.

"She's been taken in the worst way," he added.

A Jaguar car crashed into the house at the junction of Shilton Lane and Lentons Lane on 17 July

West Midlands Police said officers had spoken to drivers of both vehicles at the scene of the crash, and enquiries were continuing.

A spokesperson for the city council said it would work closely with the police to review any information the force provided around the circumstances of the collision and said the process included assessing if any further measures were needed to manage vehicle speeds and improve safety.