THE widow of a Selby rail crash victim will come face to face this summer with other women whose lives have been devastated by accidents.

Margitta Needham, from Pocklington, will travel to France in July to meet Carole McDonnell, from America, and Marlene Buret, from France, who are both campaigning - like her - for road safety.

Margitta's husband, Barry, was killed when Gary Hart, whom a jury found to be sleep-deprived, drove off the M62 and into the path of a train at Great Heck.

She said: "We share a deep understanding for each other and how differently a violent death affects the family.

"This meeting is for us to share the pain we have gone through and share hope for the future."

Carole, from New Jersey, lost her daughter, Maggie, who was run over by a driver who had not slept for 30 hours. He received a 200 dollar fine.

She has since successfully campaigned for the law to be changed in New Jersey on sleep-deprived drivers.

New legislation in the state sets out a possible $100,000 fine and up to ten years in prison. The law may soon be applied throughout the United States.

Marlene Buret was walking along a pavement with her family when a speeding lorry ploughed into them.

She was left unconscious for three months, her husband suffered serious head injuries, one of her daughters lost a foot and the other suffered severe abdominal injuries.

She now runs a charity helping the victims of road accidents.

Margitta is now campaigning for a clause to be inserted into dangerous driving laws which targets drivers who kill while tired.

She said: "I feel that in order to save lives something has to be done. We cannot remain silent."

Margitta has only spoken to Carole over the phone, but said she was looking forward to hearing about how she changed the law in her home state when the women meet in July.

Updated: 09:17 Thursday, May 20, 2004