(Photo: MEN MEDIA)
A man who only had a provisional license and failed his test twice hit and killed a pensioner after a gap allowed him to drive alone on the road.
Timothy Kusemi, a Nigerian national, had a provisional license when he caused the death of Susan Whittles, 70, at a rural crossroads near Bridlington in East Yorkshire on November 24, 2023, an inquest heard.
But a coroner has warned foreign drivers are allowed to drive unsupervised, which British schoolchildren are banned from doing.
Kusemi, a Nigerian national, had already failed his British driving test twice before the fatal crash – but was still legally allowed behind the wheel.
He went on to fail four more times after Mrs Whittles’ death before finally dying on March 21, 2025 – two years and six months after he became a UK resident.
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Paying tribute to his wife, Bill Whittles, who suffered multiple fractures to her spine, ribs and sternum and injuries to her head and face, said: ‘Sue was a beautiful woman to me and best friend over the years – we were a unit.
She was a much loved Nan to Anna and Oliver, and they miss her dearly.
‘A highly respected local Preacher, Leader Leader and active supporter of Riding for the Unable – what a terrible loss!’
Coroner Lorraine Harris said “it was noted that he (Kusemi) continued to drive beyond the 12-month limit on his national license despite those failures”.
The government the guidance allows people from countries where driving standards are not considered equal to the UK, including Nigeria, to drive for up to a year after becoming resident while obtaining a British licence.
But Ms Harris warned the system provided a stark contrast to pupils in the UK, who must be supervised and display L plates.
In a Preventing Future Deaths report, she said: “Nationals of undesignated countries who fail a GB driving test are not treated in the same way as a GB resident who fails a GB driving test.”
She added: “A GB resident is not allowed to drive without proper supervision and when they are driving they must display L plates to act as a warning to other vehicles of their inexperience.”
The coroner added that foreign nationals can fail “any number” of tests within their first year in the UK and still drive.
This means they can stay on the road “despite not meeting the safety standards set by DVSA‘, she said.
Ms Harris warned that the situation has ‘the potential to cause a risk of serious injury or damage to other road users’.
She also raised the concern that “there appears to be no provision for an examiner to remove the ability to drive without appropriate supervision regardless of a person’s failure to meet the required standards”.
Kusemi, then 41, of Lower Bedford Road, Londonadmitted causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving on February 23.
He was jailed for six years and banned from driving for 11 years.
Following the case, Ms Harris has written to the Department for Transport and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) asking them to review the rules.
The Department for Transport has until May 26 to respond to the report.
A spokesman said: “Every death on our roads is a tragedy and our thoughts are with Susan’s family and loved ones.
“We will carefully review the coroner’s findings from this tragic case to determine whether changes may be required.”
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