Finding into death of Bernice Edna Northover
Deceased
Bernice Edna Northover
Demographics
89y, female
Date of death
2019-02-23
Finding date
2020
Cause of death
Multiple injuries sustained in a motor vehicle incident (driver)
AI-generated summary
An 89-year-old woman died from multiple injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision at a semi-rural intersection. She was driving a vehicle eastbound and turned right across the path of an oncoming vehicle travelling at excessive speed (101 km/h in an 80 km/h zone). Witnesses reported she hesitated and moved slowly into the turn without accelerating or attempting to brake. The other driver applied emergency braking but could not avoid the collision. The coroner noted the intersection had experienced 28 collisions between December 2014 and March 2019, indicating it was an accident blackspot. The coroner recommended VicRoads immediately install road infrastructure and undertake a comprehensive assessment to increase safety at this dangerous intersection.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- Deceased's slow entry into turn lane and apparent hesitation
- Other driver travelling at 101 km/h in 80 km/h speed zone
- Deceased may not have appreciated the speed of the oncoming vehicle
- Dangerous intersection design - accident blackspot with 28 collisions from December 2014 to March 2019
- Inadequate road infrastructure and safety measures at the intersection
Coroner's recommendations
- VicRoads immediately install road infrastructure at the intersection of Wellington and Berwick Roads Narre Warren so as to substantially increase the safety of that intersection for all road users
- VicRoads immediately undertake an urgent comprehensive assessment of the condition, design and function of the intersection of Wellington Road and Berwick Road, Narre Warren East with a view to urgently making changes to increase its safety for all road users
- Measures put in place as a result of the first recommendation remain in place until the findings of the comprehensive review are implemented
Full text
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