Mansoor's death was not even mentioned in court

One day I opened the door, and there were two police officers telling me my son had been killed.

Then they went away. I was left with no information and no assistance. Every bit of information I needed, I had to fight for.

I didn't find out until nine months later - when there was an aborted inquest because the driver didn't turn up - what had actually happened.

By talking to a few witnesses, I learned that my son had been killed by a van driver who crossed a junction against a bank of red traffic lights and ploughed into him as he was crossing on his motorcycle on green.

'Scandalous'

It was such a clear-cut case of negligence, and yet the driver was only charged with "driving without due care and attention" and received a fine of �250 and eight penalty points.

My son's death was not even mentioned in court.

He was my only son, a gifted and beautiful person, with his whole life before him.

The van driver was only asked if he pleaded guilty to careless driving and he said "yes".

At that time, there was no charity for road victims - there was such a huge need for someone to help ensure that some information is provided.

He was my only son, a gifted and beautiful person Brigitte Chaudhry

So I set up this charity in 1992. There is still no public funding, no government funding, we have to rely on donations from road victims.

The current law is a very good reflection of how unimportant this issue is considered.

Ninety per cent of cases of deaths on the road are dealt with by lay magistrates. We think it is scandalous.

We have been campaigning for a law that makes the dead and the injured a central issue of the charge, as it is in other countries.

We want to see a charge like "vehicle manslaughter" or "vehicle homicide", as it is called in America.

This would mean that there would be a thorough investigation and that the case would be heard in a Crown Court before a judge and jury, not before a lay magistrate.

Road Peace is a national charity for road traffic victims. Its local-call rate helpline is 0845 4500355, and it is open seven days a week from 0900 - 2100.