A senior coroner has warned that more drivers could die because a Toyota braking system failed to stop a woman’s car before a deadly M25 crash.

Lisa Bowen, 48, died instantly when her Toyota Corolla hit the back of a stationary lorry on the hard shoulder at almost 38 mph in January 2022 despite her pressing the brake pedal repeatedly.

Senior Surrey coroner Richard Travers said the car’s anti-lock braking system (ABS) “operated to reduce the braking effect almost entirely” and was “working in accordance with its design”. But the design did not account for what happened when her tyre deflated and detached at speed.

He said the outcome was “an unintended effect of the system’s design which arose because the specific scenario […] had not been taken into account in the design process.”

Mr Travers warned this creates “a continuing risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken”.

The senior coroner said he was noting that a large number of Toyota Corollas on UK roads have the same anti-locking braking system as Ms Bowen’s car, and other brands may well be affected too.

He also criticised the “catastrophic failure” of the lorry’s under-run protection bar saying its strength was “grossly insufficient” under current laws.

The coroner said he was concerned that the risk of future death will arise without more stringent requirements for how much force such bars must withstand.

He has issued a statutory Prevention of Future Deaths report to Toyota, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and the Department for Transport (DfT), saying: “Action should be taken to prevent future deaths by addressing the concerns set out above.” They must reply by 16 January 2026.

A DfT spokesperson said: “Every death on our roads is a tragedy, and our thoughts are with Lisa’s family and loved ones.

“We will carefully review the coroner’s findings from this tragic case to determine the appropriateness of further amendments to these requirements.”

A Toyota spokesperson said the company was “deeply saddened by this tragic accident” and “acknowledges the findings of the coroner”, adding it would “carefully review the Senior Coroner’s conclusions.”