Mother campaigns against ‘speed obsessed’ country following son’s death

The mother of a British-Australian man killed in a car accident during last year’s European Games in Azerbaijan is calling on Formula One organisers to join a campaign to improve road-safety in that country.

Image of Micah Maxwell-Milne supplied by his family

Image of Micah Maxwell-Milne supplied by his family Source: Jennifer Maxwell-Milne

Micah Maxwell-Milne was only 23 when he was tragically killed in a car accident in Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, on June 23, 2015.

He was one of three fatalities in the accident where the Mercedes they were travelling in collided with a Ford Transit on a busy street.

Mr Maxwell-Milne had been in the country as a member of the production team for the opening and closing ceremonies of the European Games.

Nearing a year since the incident, his mother Jennifer Maxwell-Milne, who lives in the UK, said she still felt the anguish of losing her son, who was "the very best of people".

She's leading a campaign to pressure authorities in Azerbaijan to improve road safety, which according to the World health organisation, claimed around 1168 lives in 2012, or 10 per 100,000 of the population.

With a Formula One grand-prix scheduled to take place in Baku on June 19, Ms Maxwell-Milne is campaigning for the FIA, who coordinate F1 events, to recognise that Azerbaijan needs to focus on road safety.

Azerbaijan's foreign ministry sent Ms Maxwell-Milne a letter last week to apologise about her son's death, but she said the campaign would continue.
Micah and his sister Saffron. Picture courtesy of Jennifer Maxwell-Milne.
Micah and his sister Saffron. Picture courtesy of Jennifer Maxwell-Milne. Source: Jennifer Maxwell-Milne
"The Forumla One is incredibly important because they've created a 'fast' race track and the mentality of driving over there is only going to encourage speed," she told SBS.

"So far we have been contacted about possibly doing something. We basically want to create a media campaign which is clear and that leads to change in that country.

“The road conditions are just horrendous; it’s the worse driving I’ve ever seen. They are obsessed with speeding.

“Everybody knew that they were taking their lives into their hands every time they got in a taxi.”

Ms Maxwell-Milne has pushed the campaign through a petition, which has received more than 1500 signatures, and through the Twitter page Justice for Micah.
The driver of the car which collided with the vehicle Mr Maxwell-Milne was in, was sentenced to nine years in prison following a criminal trial.

As Azerbaijan is scheduled to host the Islamic Solidarity Games in 2017, Ms Maxwell-Milne said the campaign will continue beyond the Formula One grand-prix.

"We'll keep going at all of these organisations, until something is done," she said.

“They are so desperate to be part of Europe and to be on the world stage, and that seems to be the only reason they’re holding these events.

"They should hold the games in a country which has the proper infrastructure. If you see the criteria for being awarded the Olympic Games, there's nothing to do with road safety."

The FIA was contacted for comment.


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3 min read

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By Peter Theodosiou



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