Coroner's Finding: Tscherkaskyj, John
Deceased
John Charles Tscherkaskyj
Demographics
56y, male
Date of death
2021-08-08
Finding date
2024-01-08
Cause of death
Multiple head, chest and limb injuries following motor vehicle collision
AI-generated summary
John Charles Tscherkaskyj, a 56-year-old newspaper delivery driver with 10+ years experience on this route, died in a head-on motor vehicle collision on Gordon River Road, Tasmania. He was driving in the correct northbound lane when struck by a vehicle driven by Kobe McCauley, a P1 licence holder with limited experience, who steered into the northbound lane while taking a 'racing line' through a right-hand curve. Mr Tscherkaskyj was not wearing a seatbelt at impact. The coroner found excessive speed, alcohol, drugs, vehicle defects, and ice did not contribute. Drive-through testing confirmed deliberate steering input was required for Mr McCauley's vehicle to cross into the opposing lane. The collision was caused entirely by Mr McCauley's driving error—steering into the incorrect lane on an unfamiliar rural road while driving late at night with limited experience.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- Driver in opposing vehicle steered vehicle into incorrect lane (racing line through curve)
- Inexperienced driver (P1 licence, <7 months unsupervised driving experience)
- Unfamiliar road
- Night-time driving
- Deceased not wearing seatbelt
- Obstruction to view from conifer trees on roadside
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