THE death of an aspiring young police officer could have been avoided if there had been better lighting on the M61, an inquest heard.

23-year-old Samantha Derbyshire was killed when she was struck by a lorry between junctions four and five on an unlit stretch of the motorway.

Now area coroner Alan Walsh will write to Chris Grayling, the Secretary of State for Transport, to ask for better lighting.

Miss Derbyshire was on her way back to her Horwich home after finishing her shift with Greater Manchester Police as a call handler at 3am when the accident happened shortly after 3.20am.

An inquest into her death held at Bolton Coroner’s Court yesterday heard how delivery driver Kevin Howell saw Miss Derbyshire’s car "drifting" from lane one across the motorway when it collided with the central reservation and then came to rest across lanes one and two.

He said: "I was beeping at the lady to get out of her car and come across to the hard shoulder.

"She came across and told me that she had just finished her shift, she said she had never 'nodded off before'

"When I got off the phone to the police she had gone. I heard her say something about her hazard lights.

"I then heard a bang and a whooshing noise and saw an articulated vehicle."

Police investigations found that Miss Derbyshire was standing in the carriageway on the driver’s side of her vehicle when it was hit by a lorry travelling in lane one.

Nigel Wells, who was driving the lorry from York to Preston, told the inquest that due to the lack of lighting he did not see the stationary vehicle until the last minute.

He said: “I was only 50 yards away from the car when I saw it. As I hit my brakes I hit the car.

“You can’t swerve a 40 tonne lorry travelling at 56 mph. I would have ended up on the other side of the carriageway on my side.”

Miss Derbyshire’s Ford Fiesta was trapped under the front of the cab of the lorry and she was found, by another road user who was trying to help, with fatal injuries in the hard shoulder.

Pair who risked their own safety in fatal M61 crash praised for their actions

PC Paul Hailwood said: “The sort of person that she was, Miss Derbyshire was probably going back to her car to turn on her hazard lights to alert other motorists to the danger.

“I am sure that the collision would not have occurred if there had been better lighting on this stretch of road because the lorry driver would have been able to take appropriate action.

“In the future it would be better to have better lighting to make sure these sort of collisions are avoided.”

Hundreds pay tribute to Bolton special constable Samantha Derbyshire, of Horwich, killed in M61 collision

'Our fun loving daughter' — tributes to Bolton special constable Samantha Derbyshire ​

Miss Derbyshire had only just secured her dream job as a police officer and was due to start with Greater Manchester Police in October.

Mr Walsh gave a conclusion of death by road traffic collision and said he would write to Highways England and the Secretary of State for Transport for a review of the lights on the M61.

He added: “I accept what PC Hailwood said that if there had been lights in this area that the collision would not have occurred.

“I am concerned enough to report this to the relevant authorities. My sufficient concerns are the transition from bright lights to total darkness and my second concern is that the M61 is unlit in some areas.

“If something good can come of this tragedy, it is that some action can be taken in relation to that road so that future fatalities and incidents can be reduced.”

Miss Derbyshire’s family paid tribute to her after the hearing. A statement said: “The inquest brings closure to the tragic accident which resulted in the loss of our beautiful daughter.

“Firstly we would like to thank everyone who helped Sam that morning including the emergency services. Thank you all.

“Sam's short life was packed with love, humour, friendship and aspiration. Sam touched the lives of many people, especially her family and friends and we miss her every day.

“Sam loved life and it was her ambition to be accepted into the police force, an ambition she achieved and which we are immensely proud of.

“Sam’s legacy, to enrich the lives of others lives on, fuelled by charitable donations to Guide Dogs for the Blind.

“We hope to raise enough money to train guide dog in her name.”