Coronial
TASaged care

Coroner's Finding: Stewart, Keith Thomas

Deceased

Keith Thomas Stewart

Demographics

73y, male

Date of death

2018-07-04

Finding date

2019-10-28

Cause of death

Brain haemorrhage from head injury sustained in mobility scooter crash

AI-generated summary

Keith Thomas Stewart, aged 73, died from a brain haemorrhage sustained in a mobility scooter crash on 1 July 2018 at Beaconsfield District Health Service. While riding down a steep driveway, Mr Stewart disengaged the gear lock and freewheeled, reaching approximately 27-29 km/h. When attempting a right turn onto Bolton Street, the scooter exceeded its rollover threshold, causing Mr Stewart to be ejected onto the roadway. He was not wearing a helmet despite facility guidelines requiring one. The coroner found the scooter mechanically sound, medical treatment appropriate, and facility precautions adequate. The helmet non-compliance was likely preventable of death outcome, though the coroner made no formal recommendations regarding this.

AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.

Contributing factors

  • Disengagement of gear lock causing scooter to freewheel
  • Excessive speed (27-29 km/h) for mobility scooter negotiating turn
  • Scooter rollover when exceeding rollover threshold during right turn
  • Non-compliance with helmet requirement
  • Intellectual disability affecting risk assessment and decision-making
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