Kwik Fit customer crashes after technician failed to shut bonnet properly

Driver refused fast fit's offer of £1,700 and lawyers later secured larger four-­figure sum

Kwik Fit customer crashes after technician failed to shut bonnet properly
Kwik Fit Grangemouth. Image: Google Street Views.

Kwik Fit has has paid out thousands of pounds to a driver who crashed at 70mph after its technicians failed to shut his bonnet properly.

Aidan Spence swerved onto a motorway central reservation, smashed his windscreen and sustained chest and back injuries when the bonnet flipped up, according to a report by The Sunday Post.

The collision happened after he collected his Vauxhall Astra from Kwik Fit Grangemouth where he had taken it for an MOT.

Mr Spence said: “I could have died because someone didn’t check a fastening.

“My door was wedged against the barrier and I didn’t want to get out the passenger side into the fast lane so I waited for police.

“It took 15 minutes and it was terrifying.

“Every time a car went past the glass from the windscreen rained down on me and I received lacerations.”

Mr Spence was freed an hour later and returned to the Kwik Fit branch, with his destroyed Astra on a recovery truck, where the manager arranged a courtesy car.

It was confirmed that Mr Spence had suffered internal injuries as a result of the crash.

Kwik Fit offered him £1,700 in relation to his injuries but Mr Spence contacted lawyers who secured a larger four-­figure sum.

Mark Gibson, partner at Digby Brown solicitors, said: “I hope what happened here sends a reminder to mechanics that the simplest of checks can save lives.”

Kwik Fit has so far declined to comment.

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Home Page Forums Kwik Fit customer crashes after technician failed to shut bonnet properly

  • This topic has 7 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 4 years ago by ALISON.
Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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  • #192578 Reply

    Kwik Fit has has paid out thousands of pounds to a driver who crashed at 70mph after its technicians failed to shut his bonnet properly. Aidan Spence
    [See the full post at: Kwik Fit customer crashes after technician failed to shut bonnet properly]

    #192603 Reply
    Anthony Roe
    Guest

    You cant get better than a quick fit fitter were the boys to trust, Ha ha wouldent give you a chocklate fireguard to fix

    #192604 Reply
    Jackie Sedgbeer
    Guest

    I didn’t think they opened bonnets when doing an MOT!! and if I am right, why did they open the bonnet? and if they didn’t why was it their fault that the bonnet opened?

    #192605 Reply
    Ken Ashton
    Guest

    This has happened many times – A bonnet warning light wouldn’t cost much to build in at manufacturing level . The bonnet catch is a two stage affair – shouldn’t it be checked as a testable item ?

    #192606 Reply
    Paul
    Guest

    Jackie s maybe they were doing repairs to get t through its mot, for example changing a bulb.
    If it wasnt proved they were at fault nothing woukd have been paid out.

    #192607 Reply
    Tom
    Guest

    We only get one side of the story.. in my experience the secondary bonnet catch is more prone to sticking and experienced testers will usually free them off so that if the primary bonnet catch were to fail then the secondary catch will hold the bonnet, I would like to think the tester advised the customer of this or atleast told his manager to pass on to customer as the bonnet can only hit the windscreen if the secondary catch fails too. Whether that got passed on is another question.. would be nice to have all the information.

    #192620 Reply
    Jeremy Powell
    Guest

    I am a MOT TESTER, yes we open bonnets as part of a mot! Have a read of the manual available online. Section 3.1 field of vision. “You must inspect bonnet catches on vehicles with a bonnet, which would obscure the driver’s view of the road if opened. The inspection is only for primary catches – those that hold the bonnet fully closed. Secondary safety catches are not part of the inspection” did the bonnet close and secure at the time of test? Yes, otherwise it would have failed the MOT test. Not the testers fault…

    #192712 Reply
    ALISON
    Guest

    I think vehicle technicians are seriously undervalued and mostly underpaid. The work carried out on MOT, repairs and maintenance are so important to your safety and this fact is never appreciated. We are all human and human error happens and maybe we should value technicians more and not criticise them so much.

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

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