After a tragic accident involving an electric Jaguar I-PACE, the family of seven-year-old Alfie Tollett pays tribute and calls for improvements in vehicle design to prevent future tragedies.
Bollywood Fever: A family has paid a heartfelt tribute to their “cheeky, precious” son, Alfie Tollett, who was tragically killed when the driver of an electric Jaguar I-PACE accidentally pressed the wrong button.
The accident occurred on February 19, 2023, at Plymstock Albion Oaks RFC in Plymouth, where seven-year-old Alfie had been watching his brother play rugby.
Alfie, who was putting on his boots at the time, became trapped between two cars. The driver, a 55-year-old man, mistakenly accelerated forward instead of reversing after relying “on feel” to select the correct button.
Despite Alfie’s father, Stephen, trying to free him, the young boy was fatally injured and passed away shortly after.
Following an inquest, Plymouth Coroner Deborah Archer issued a Prevention of Future Deaths report, citing concerns over the design of the Jaguar I-PACE and the driver’s errors during the incident. She urged Jaguar Land Rover to consider changes to prevent similar accidents in the future.
Alfie’s parents, Stephen and Gemma Tollett, paid tribute to their son, saying, “There is so much we could say about Alfie, but we just want everyone to know he was our amazing, cheeky, precious little boy who we all miss and love so very much. Alfie’s memory will always live on through his two brothers and sister.”
They added, “Keep chasing the Pokémons, riding the unicorns, and scoring the goals up there, our special Alfie Moo. We’d like to thank everyone for their kind messages of support.”
The inquest revealed that the Jaguar I-PACE lacks a traditional gear stick, using instead three buttons for drive, neutral, and reverse. On the day of the accident, the driver attempted to realign the vehicle using the reverse button but accidentally accelerated forward, colliding with a parked van and tragically crushing Alfie.
Coroner Archer called for Jaguar Land Rover to reassess the design of their vehicles, urging them to take action to prevent future deaths.
The Tollett family echoed this sentiment, stating, “We have lost our beautiful son Alfie because of what we see as a design flaw, and we are passionate about ensuring this never happens again.”
Jaguar Land Rover has until October 22 to respond to the coroner’s report, as the family and authorities hope to see changes that will make electric vehicles safer.
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