Motorist Jailed After Donna Brighton Killed by Taxi Door in Kent Crash

A motorist has been imprisoned for causing death by dangerous driving after a woman was killed when she was ejected from a taxi in Kent. Donna Brighton, who was celebrating her 60th birthday, was thrown through an open window of a taxi after the vehicle’s door was struck by a passing car.

Canterbury Crown Court heard that Ms Brighton, from Herne Bay, was a passenger in the taxi when the incident occurred on the A299 Thanet Way near Herne Bay. The driver, named as Michael Watson, aged 49, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. He was subsequently sentenced to four years and eight months in prison.

Police investigators revealed that the taxi driver had opened the rear door on the dual carriageway to allow Ms Brighton to exit the vehicle. However, as the door swung open, it was hit by Watson’s Nissan Qashqai, resulting in Ms Brighton being thrown into the road.

During the proceedings, it was stated that Ms Brighton’s family has experienced significant emotional distress due to the incident. Watson was also disqualified from driving for seven years and four months, effective upon his release from prison. The court also ordered him to pay a victim surcharge.