A DEVASTATED mother who survived a crash that killed her boyfriend has vowed to make it compulsory for trike motorists to wear a helmet.

Laura Simpson, 41, sustained life-long head injuries after a Yamaha trike ridden by boyfriend David Smith crashed in Station Approach, Braintree.

Despite the best efforts of passers-by who performed first aid before paramedics arrived, David, 37, died at the scene on April 2.

Now Laura, of Thomas Way, Braintree, has set up a petition on a Government website to make it a legal requirement to wear a helmet on all trikes and quad bikes.

Riders only have to wear one on a two-wheeled motorcycle.

She said: “Part of me died that day and I feel I have to do this for David.

"I have to make sure this doesn’t happen to another David.

“Even if it’s just at three street journey like mine was, around the corner, you have to wear a helmet."

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Miss Simpson, a mum-of-four, spent six days in Broomfield Hospital after suffering serious injuries including severe lacerations to her face and head, black eyes, a broken hand, damaged elbow, lacerations to her legs and bruising over her body.

Physical scars remain, and Miss Simpson now suffers from memory loss, numbness, panic attacks, flashbacks and anxiety as a direct result of the injuries to her head.

She said: “The petition needs 10,000 signatures to be acknowledged.

“This law needs to be changed and I am trying to get the message across that these helmets do save lives.

“Before that day I had never been on one in my life and I never will again.

“I would not have sustained a lot of my head injuries if I was wearing a helmet.

"You don’t know what other damage has been done to you either.

“I’m completely dead down one side of my head with a terrible memory.

“I believe everyone should have to wear a helmet because they stop these kind of head injuries and the blood loss from the head is massive.

“People don’t realise how all these different injuries come as a result of not wearing a helmet."

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Just over six weeks after the terrible accident, Miss Simpson described how her life had changed due to the injuries she had suffered.

She said: “I feel like no-one understands the trauma to your head.

"I forget what I’m doing or I’ll I forget my pin number. It was my son’s birthday and I had no idea what I got him.

“I have a fear of traffic when crossing the road now and I get anxiety.

“I can’t bear the sound of a bike.

"I saw someone riding one without a helmet on the other day and I was shouting at him and pointing at my face. I wanted to get hold of him and say look at my face.

“I get flashbacks. It will be an element of the accident and I’ll feel like I’m in some sort of danger."

Miss Simpson has indents across her head left by the impact of being thrown into railings and a scar in the centre of her head running from the top of her hairline down to her nose.

“I’m losing a lot of hair around my hairline and I have some baldness. There is a lot of indentation on my head as well now and I have no sensation down the left side.

“After it happened I looked in the mirror and it wasn’t me.

"I had to hold onto things and squeeze them tight to make sure it was real.

“People still look at me. I don’t want to leave the house because everyone stares at me. They don’t look politely they just stare.

“I have to get used to having a different face now.

"It’s a different one to the one I had for the last 41 years.”

The petition has so far attracted more than 170 signatures.

To see it, visit petition.parliament.uk/petitions/130059