Sussex mother and police officer receive national award for road safety campaign following son's tragic death

A Sussex mother who lost her 11-year-old son in a tragic road incident has received a national award alongside a police officer for their work to improve road safety and prevent further deaths.

Maria Dennis and Sussex Police officer PC Barry Freeman were recognised for their outstanding contribution to road safety at a joint UK Road Offender Education and National Police Chiefs’ Council awards ceremony on 14 October.

The pair have been working together on Operation Rule, a campaign aimed at improving safety standards across the commercial vehicle industry, particularly focusing on insecure loads, overloaded vehicles and drivers exceeding permitted working hours.

The campaign was inspired by the death of Maria's son Harry, who was just 11 when he was struck by an unsecured scaffold plank that fell from a moving vehicle in Hooe, East Sussex, in 2022.

Determined to prevent another family experiencing the same heartbreak, Maria has worked with Sussex Police and other forces across the country to raise awareness of the dangers posed by poorly secured loads.

Operation Rule is led locally by PC Freeman, who works within Sussex Police's Commercial Vehicle Unit, with several other police forces now supporting the initiative.

The campaign has also seen officers carry out dedicated roadside checks of commercial vehicles across the UK.

Figures released by Sussex Police show that during a national day of action in September 2024, officers stopped 131 vehicles, with nearly 74 per cent requiring some form of intervention.

In September 2025, that figure fell to just over 59 per cent of 120 vehicles checked, while the latest operation in September 2026 saw 136 vehicles stopped, with just over 46 per cent requiring intervention.

The figures suggest an improvement among vehicles checked during the annual operations, although a significant proportion continue to require action.

Speaking after receiving the award, Maria said she was incredibly proud to stand alongside PC Freeman and praised the support she had received from police officers across the country.

She said: "I want drivers and businesses to know their actions can snatch away lives, innocent lives like Harry’s."

Maria hopes that by continuing to share Harry's story, more businesses and drivers will recognise the importance of properly securing loads and maintaining safe working practices.

PC Freeman said receiving the award was a proud moment, but stressed that the real importance of the campaign was its potential to prevent further tragedies.

He praised Maria's determination to turn the devastating loss of her son into positive action, helping to raise awareness through roadside checks, social media and news coverage.

The officer also thanked colleagues from commercial vehicle and roads policing units across the country for supporting the campaign.

Operation Rule continues to encourage haulage companies, commercial drivers and businesses to take greater responsibility for vehicle safety, with the aim of preventing more families suffering the loss experienced by Harry's family.