Finding into death of Joan Christine Harrison
Deceased
Joan Christine Harrison
Demographics
69y, female
Date of death
2018-02-22
Finding date
2019-10-04
Cause of death
Injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision (pedestrian)
AI-generated summary
Joan Harrison, 69, died from head injuries sustained when struck by a car at a pedestrian crossing in Richmond. The zebra crossing was positioned less than one metre from a give way line, causing it to be obscured by vehicles waiting to turn. Ms Harrison stepped in front of a car driven by Darcy Fox, who was looking right to monitor traffic. The collision occurred at low speed but Ms Harrison fell backwards, striking her head and sustaining a skull fracture with intracranial haemorrhage. She was taken to Alfred Hospital where scans confirmed traumatic brain injury. Respecting her Advance Care Directive against surgical procedures, she was extubated and provided comfort care, dying that evening. The coroner identified that the pedestrian crossing design contributed to the incident and recommended VicRoads relocate the crossing away from the give way line, install pedestrian fencing, and relocate the median traffic pole to improve safety.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- Pedestrian zebra crossing positioned less than one metre from give way line
- Zebra crossing obscured by vehicle waiting to turn
- Driver's attention directed to right monitoring traffic
- Pedestrian attempted to cross in front of vehicle rather than waiting for crossing to clear
- Low speed collision resulted in backward fall and head strike
- Occipital skull fracture with intracranial haemorrhage
Coroner's recommendations
- VicRoads pursue funding and implementation of safety treatment: relocate the existing pedestrian zebra crossing approximately 6 metres away from the give way line where the Highett Street left turn lane meets Church Street
- Install pedestrian fencing to direct pedestrians to the newly located zebra crossing
- Relocate the median traffic pole to allow safe foot traffic through the island
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