Heartbroken daughter of Seaham couple killed by driver who was using mobile phone issues plea to others

A heartbroken daughter has appealed to people not to use their mobile phones behind the wheel of their vehicles after losing her mam and step-dad in a fatal collision.

Elaine Sullivan, 57, and 59-year-old David Daglish, from Seaham, were killed when a lorry driver ploughed into their Vauxhall Crossland as they drove on the A1(M) near Bowburn.

Paul Mullen, 51, who was driving a Toyota Hilux, also lost his life in the collision, which happened on July 15, 2021.

Forensic examinations of the lorry driver’s mobile phone found that he had been repeatedly using the device’s web browser throughout his journey from Cambridgeshire right up until the time of the collision. 

As part of a concerted campaign with Durham Constabulary, Mariellena Johnson has opened up on the devastating impact of her loss.

She said: “There is absolutely no excuse for using your phone at the wheel; one quick glance can have devastating consequences. You see people using their phones all the time and I just want it to end.

 “No family should ever have to go through what we have experienced – sorting through your own parents’ belongings, clearing their home, organising their funeral, having to move on and live life without them. It is absolutely heart-breaking.”

As part of the campaign, Mariellena has been involved in the design process for a sticker aimed at warning people about the dangers of using their phone at the wheel.

The sticker displays a mobile phone with a line through it accompanied by the message “Life is Precious - in memory of Elaine Sullivan and David Daglish”.

Mariellena added: “I really hope that people see these stickers and think twice about looking at their phone while driving. 

“Life is precious, please don’t ruin it for the sake of a phone call, text, or quick glance of social media.”

The stickers, which are funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner's office, are also supported by Durham County Council, with both organisations displaying the stickers in their fleets of vehicles.   

Detective Constable Natalie Horner, from Durham Constabulary’s Collision Investigation Unit, worked with Mariellena to design the stickers.

She said: “We want people to look at these stickers and realise that there are real people behind them, not just statistics, but people with families and loved ones who are missing them terribly.

“We need people to stop using their phones at the wheel. Even just a split-second look can distract you enough to cause a collision which could be fatal.

“None of us want to have to deliver another death message to a family whose loved one has died in a collision which could have been avoided. Please, put the phone away while driving.”

Police Crime Commissioner Joy Allen added: “Every time someone uses their mobile phone while driving it puts others at risk. 

"What Mariellena and her family have gone through is devastating.

"This is why I am fully behind the use of dashcams to shine a light and prosecute those who intentionally have no regard for other road users and is why I have prioritised Safer Roads within my Police and Crime Plan.

“By working with Mariellena, Durham Constabulary and other partners to produce the stickers, it will get the message out far and wide that no-one should be flouting the law and instead should be fully focused on the road and on driving safely for the benefit of all road users. 

“No text message or Google search is worth a life.”