A coroner has told a karting company it should act to address concerns raised after the death of a girl who was strangled by her own headscarf at its track in Barking.
Ruwaida Abdi Adan, who was from Newham, died last August after the headscarf became entangled in moving parts of a kart she was driving at Capital Karts, a jury found.
A narrative conclusion to her inquest said no safety check was made to ensure she removed the headscarf before getting into the kart.
Jurors also concluded that a plastic drive belt guard was missing and a rear seat shield was damaged – both of which are meant to cover exposed moving parts in the kart.
After the inquest, assistant coroner Leanne Woods has written a prevention of future deaths report and sent it to Capital Karts.
Ruwaida’s family said in a statement issued through law firm Leigh Day: “Losing Ruwaida has been the hardest thing we have ever been through and losing her so unexpectedly make is even worse.
“Not only has a big part of our family gone, but her death has caused us all so much pain that we are all changed forever. We miss Ruwaida every second of every day.”
Ruwaida went karting at the track on August 6 2021 as part of a summer programme organised by Newham Council.
The report said the inquest heard evidence that Ruwaida should have been told to remove the headscarf and checks carried out to ensure she had done so.
Staff failed to identify that she had started to race whilst wearing the headscarf under a helmet.
The inquest also heard that her kart in the condition it was in “should not have been driven”, the report said.
Ms Woods wrote that Capital Karts had changed its system to ensure anyone wearing a headscarf must be witnessed to remove it in reception before driving a kart.
But she said she still has concern there is a risk of future deaths without further action being taken by the company.
Ms Woods wrote she was worried at this system relying on checks at reception.
She said long hair “obviously cannot be removed and so may be untucked from a suit or come out of a suit before karting commences”.
Ms Woods also said there was no evidence of any changes to the training of track marshals.
She wrote that a race director, who was in the role on August 6 last year, gave evidence saying that track marshals regularly did not spot loose hair or clothing outside a race suit.
The report said that CCTV of the pit lane from that day showed a number of people “with long hair hanging loose outside the race suits”.
Ms Woods also wrote that her concern is heightened by evidence given by Capital Karts’ managing director during the inquest, who said that staff on August 6 “did their job” and followed their training.
She said: “As a result of the evidence from the managing director, I have a concern about the nature of Capital Karts’ understanding of, and commitment to, addressing the concerns identified in the inquest about the adequacy of checks on clothing performed by marshals.”
Capital Karts now has only one go-kart track listed on its website, at Canary Wharf.
Ruwaida’s family added: “Ruwaida was sweet and compassionate to everyone she met. She was so kind, thoughtful, caring, loving, strong and wise beyond her years.
“She was always speaking up for those who couldn’t speak up for themselves. She was always laughing and smiling – she had the most contagious laugh.”
Clare Campbell, partner at Leigh Day who represented the family, added the family “hope that Capital Karts acts swiftly on the coroner’s concerns to ensure no other family has to go through the agony of losing their loved one”.
Capital Karts have been contacted for comment but told the Evening Standard: “Everyone at Capital Karts was deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Miss Adan, and our sympathies are with her family and friends.
“We co-operated fully with the authorities in their investigation and reviewed all of our safety procedures following the accident. We confirm that we will respond to the coroner’s request within the relevant time frame.”
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