Widow calls for better protection for highways workers as dangerous driver is locked up

Criminal Denis Balaz, 28, was being pursued by police on the northbound carriageway between Junctions 14 and 15 when the snatched Audi crashed into a parked Ford Focus in which traffic management officer Kevin Jarvis, from Cannock, was sitting on February 26 last year.

He was jailed for nine years for causing death by dangerous driving after admitting the offence at Stafford Crown Court.

The 57-year-old husband and father had been working in a closed works' lane when the incident happened.

His grieving wife Julie Jarvis said: “Whilst we're pleased that justice has finally been served, it is nothing more than a token sentence for taking someone’s life. It will never be enough as it doesn't change the life sentence of devastating loss on our family.

"I will never get to enjoy the plans Kevin and I had for our future years. My sons and daughter-in-law will never enjoy the fun and positivity he bought into their lives as a stepdad and father-in-law. My grandchildren will never know the fun times that were ahead with their beloved grandad.

"His brother and sisters have been robbed of a much loved younger sibling. His friends will never again enjoy the friendship and laughter they shared.”

“This is all because Kevin was doing a job that helped keep the roads safe for other drivers. On that fateful morning as always Kevin was carrying out his usual duties before his shift ended. Too many highway workers have needlessly lost their lives and continue lose their lives to errant drivers. It will keep happening if something doesn't change to give them better protection.”

“No amount of health and safety rules can legislate for a criminal driver in a stolen car entering a closed lane to escape the pursuing police, but highways workers can and absolutely should be better protected. So if anything remotely positive can come from our loss then we as a family want the traffic management industry and relevant authorities to act urgently and review their safety protocols and procedures to ensure an incident like this can never happen again.

"After the shock, horror, condolences, tributes and repeated calls for changes, the irony of a worker whose job title was Traffic Safety and Control Officer losing his life in such a totally avoidable way, should not be lost on this industry and yet it most definitely is.

"All that worker has between them and catastrophic injury, or death, is merely a row of 3ft-high plastic cones and a vehicle that offered no protection whatsoever. It is not good enough. No other industry would tolerate the workers' death toll that exists in the traffic management industry, yet the apathy remains after every tragic, avoidable death.

"Every worker has a right to carry out their duties in a safe working environment. My husband's working environment was that car and the location he was in. As a member of the public if you break down and have to get your vehicle onto the hard shoulder, you are deemed at risk. That is why several media campaigns by National Highways instruct you to safely leave your vehicle and get behind the barrier. Yet a lone Highways worker in their car in the same place carrying out his duties is not considered "at risk".

"No family should ever have to live with the pain of never seeing their loved one again because they went to work and never came home,” Mrs Jarvis added.