Man Fatally Injured by Reversing Car in Nottinghamshire Car Park Incident

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A 72-year-old man died after being accidentally run over by his wife in a Nottinghamshire car park, an inquest has concluded. David Charles Seymour Chivers sustained fatal head injuries during the incident, which occurred on 12 September 2024 at the Priorswell Road car park in Worksop.

Mr Chivers and his wife, Elaine Valentine, had travelled to the location to prepare for an upcoming event at nearby Bracebridge Recreation Ground. The couple attempted to unlock and move a height barrier located at the rear of the car park. While Mrs Valentine entered the driver’s seat of their Vauxhall Insignia, Mr Chivers remained outside, trying to access a padlock positioned awkwardly high on the barrier.

According to findings from Nottingham Coroner’s Court, the vehicle unexpectedly reversed while Mr Chivers was standing next to the open driver’s door. The movement of the automatic car caused him to fall and suffer a fatal blow to the head when it ran over him. A post-mortem confirmed the cause of death as severe trauma to the brain, deemed “incompatible with life.”

Coroner Sarah Wood described the sequence of events as a “tragic accident.” She concluded that Mr Chivers had placed himself in a vulnerable position and that when Mrs Valentine pressed the accelerator, the vehicle responded with a sudden burst of speed in reverse. The court heard that this abrupt motion gave Mr Chivers little opportunity to react before he was struck.

“It is more likely than not that Ms Valentine panicked in an attempt to move the car away,” Coroner Wood stated. “Due to the vehicle being in reverse, it moved towards Mr Chivers and suddenly ran over him, causing the fatal injury.”

The death was officially recorded as accidental. In her closing remarks, the coroner acknowledged the deeply distressing nature of the incident and the lasting emotional impact it will likely have on Mrs Valentine.