Timothy Kusemi, a 41-year-old Nigerian man, was found guilty of causing d3ath by reckless driving in a fatal collision in East Yorkshire, UK, and was given a six-year prison sentence.
According to the court, Kusemi received a provisional driver’s license in June 2023 after arriving in the UK in September 2022. Despite failing his practical driving exam twice in July and September, he persisted in operating a vehicle without supervision.
He failed to stop at a crossroads and struck another car in the deadly collision that happened in Rudston, close to Bridlington, East Yorkshire, in November 2023. Susan Whittles, 70, was k!lled at the scene by the impact, and her husband sustained severe injuries.
Issuing a prevention of future d+aths report, Coroner Lorraine Harris said the law needed to be changed urgently to prevent another tragedy. She stated:
“If a national of a non-designated country fails any number of driving tests within the 12-month period, they are still able to revert and rely on their 12-month limit to drive on their foreign/international licence in the UK, despite not meeting the safety standards.”
She explained that nationals from China, India, Israel, Nigeria, Malaysia, Pakistan and the USA are among those allowed to drive for up to 12 months on their home licences after becoming UK residents, even if they fail UK driving tests during that period.
Ms Harris further noted that there is no mechanism for examiners to prevent drivers who repeatedly fail practical tests from continuing to drive unsupervised, warning that the current system allows individuals who do not meet required safety standards to remain on the road and pose risks to other road users.
Kusemi later went on to fail four additional driving tests after the crash before eventually obtaining a full UK driving licence in March of the following year.
He was sentenced at Hull Crown Court to six years in prison and banned from driving for 11 years.