Finding into death of Stefan Andrew Barthelot
Deceased
Stefan Andrew Barthelot
Demographics
25y, male
Date of death
2024-09-29
Finding date
2025-11-18
Cause of death
Multiple injuries sustained in a motor vehicle incident (driver)
AI-generated summary
Stefan Barthelot, a 25-year-old motor mechanic, died from multiple traumatic injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision on a rural road in Yellingbo, Victoria. He was travelling at approximately 100-106 km/h on Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road when he lost control on a left-hand bend with wet conditions and poor road surface friction (bitumen bleeding and polishing). He impacted a concrete power pole at approximately 46-70 km/h. Clinical lessons: This was a non-medical death; however, the coronial findings highlight systemic road safety failures. The road surface conditions, inadequate warning signage, and potentially inappropriate speed limit for road conditions were identified as contributing factors. Expert analysis suggested that road maintenance, improved signage, and speed limit reduction could have prevented this fatality. The case demonstrates the importance of environmental and infrastructure factors in preventing traumatic injury deaths.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Contributing factors
- Road surface conditions with reduced friction due to bitumen bleeding and polishing
- Wet weather conditions
- Speed limit potentially inappropriate for road conditions and bend geometry
- Lack of adequate warning signage at collision location
- Vehicle travelling at approximately 100-106 km/h prior to losing control
Coroner's recommendations
- Department of Transport and Planning to review the relevant portion of Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road at Yellingbo and consider whether repairs and improvements need to be made to the road surface
- Consider whether safety/warning signage should be erected at the location
- Consider whether the speed limit should be reduced
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