Freddie Hussey trailer death: Family welcomes parliament group

Freddie Hussey died after being hit by a trailer in 2014

The mother of a three-year-old boy who was crushed to death by a trailer has welcomed the launch of a parliamentary group that will discuss trailer safety.

Freddie Hussey from Bristol was killed in 2014 when a trailer towed by a Land Rover came loose and hit him.

A new cross-party group, aimed at raising safety issues, will meet for the first time later.

Freddie's mother, Donna Hussey, said she hoped changes to towing rules would help prevent similar incidents.

"If that trailer had been serviced they would have known that the hitch was not secured correctly," she said.

"Had the driver realised there was a problem, he might not have gone out that day.

The accident happened in Parson Street, Bedminster, Bristol

"People need to know that going out without the correct safety checks, you're taking a big risk."

Ms Hussey, who has campaigned with her husband for better safety since her son's death, said "if our hard work saves one life, then it is worth it".

In 2016 the DVSA released new guidelines for towing safety after the family raised the issue.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Trailer and Towing Safety, chaired by Bristol South Labour MP Karin Smyth, will meet in Westminster later.

As part of the meeting, The National Towing Working Group, chaired by Highways England, will launch a new safety framework, aimed at reducing towing-related incidents on the UK's roads.

The group will discuss subjects including the gathering of data on trailer related incidents, and raising safety awareness among trailer users.

Freddie was killed when he was hit by a trailer that had come loose from a Land Rover as he walked along a pavement in Bedminster, Bristol, in January 2014.