Finding into death of Angus Gordon Carruthers Collins
Deceased
Angus Gordon Carruthers Collins
Demographics
22y, male
Date of death
2023-02-02
Finding date
2024-08-12
Cause of death
Injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision (cyclist)
AI-generated summary
A 22-year-old cyclist, Angus Collins, was killed when struck by a cement mixer truck turning left at an intersection in West Melbourne on 2 February 2023. The collision occurred despite both the cyclist and the turning vehicle having concurrent green signals. Road Safety Audits had identified high-risk conditions including obstructed sightlines from concrete piers, simultaneous green signals for conflicting movements, and high cyclist approach speeds. The contractor's mitigation measures (warning signs and pavement markings) proved insufficient. Prior complaints from cyclists and a transport company manager about near-miss incidents went unheeded. The coroner found the death preventable, attributing it to inadequate risk mitigation despite known hazards. Key clinical/safety lesson: identified safety risks must be addressed by independent parties, not contractors with commercial interests; concurrent signal phasing for conflicting movements requires stricter control measures.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- Simultaneous green signal operation for left-turning vehicles and straight-ahead cyclists
- Obstructed sightlines caused by concrete piers (Piers 19 and 20) between the shared use path and roadway
- Removal of chicane geometry that previously slowed cyclists on approach
- High speed cyclist approach to intersection
- Inadequate mitigation measures implemented by contractor in response to identified risks
- Insufficient independent oversight of risk closure from Road Safety Audits
- Poor condition of warning signage and line markings at time of incident
- Limited visibility for truck drivers due to cabin design and pier obstruction
Coroner's recommendations
- Department of Transport and Planning to consult with relevant authorities to formulate and implement a public safety campaign highlighting risks at intersections between left-turning vehicles and straight-ahead cyclists, clearly setting out right-of-way obligations
- Department of Transport and Planning to amend contract arrangements for road works under Worksite Traffic Management Plans to require that serious safety risks identified in Road Safety Audits be closed by an independent road safety auditor rather than the contractor carrying out the works
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