Finding into death of Pauline Elizabeth Bower
Deceased
Pauline Elizabeth Bower
Demographics
77y, female
Date of death
2023-11-29
Finding date
2025-10-13
Cause of death
Multiple injuries sustained in a motor vehicle incident
AI-generated summary
A 77-year-old woman died from multiple injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision on a wet highway. Her vehicle was struck by another car that lost traction on the wet road surface while navigating a bend. Police investigation found no mechanical defects, speeding, or impairment in either driver. Scrim testing later revealed the road surface had below-standard skid resistance in certain areas. The death was determined to be a tragic accident that could not have been prevented by the other driver. Key learning points include the importance of road maintenance and skid resistance testing, particularly on curves in high-rainfall areas, and the role of road conditions in accident causation.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- wet road conditions
- loss of traction of other vehicle
- road surface with below-standard skid resistance
- variability in skid resistance between wheel paths
- vehicle veering into opposite lane on bend
Coroner's recommendations
- The Department of Transport and Planning undertake further investigations of the road surface on the Princes Highway in Club Terrace at the site of the collision and consider whether further safety interventions are required to reduce the risk of vehicles losing traction in wet conditions.
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