1 Aug 2010

Truck with faulty brakes speeding at time of fatal crash

6:53 am on 1 August 2010

A coroner has found that a truck was travelling at an unsafe speed and had faulty brakes when it rolled on Rimutaka Hill Rd, north of Wellington, killing the driver of an oncoming car.

Wellington coroner Gary Evans has determined that Laurel Fitzgeorge died from chest injuries in the crash, three years ago.

He found that the driver of the B-train truck, Naera Waimotu, took no action after two earlier problems with the brakes, and had not stopped immediately when he had brake problems on the day of the crash.

A jury later found Mr Waimotu not guilty of dangerous driving causing death.

Mr Evans has recommended the Transport Agency review vehicle maintenance regulations and erect a speed advisory notice near the crash scene.

The Road Transport Forum says safety rules for truckers are already very strict, but some people will always fail to comply with them.

The Transport Agency is declining to discuss the coroner's recommendations until it has studied the judgement.