Coroner's Finding: Clark, Michael John

59y · Male·Multiple injuries of chest and abdomen

Michael John Clark, a 59-year-old school bus driver, died from multiple injuries to chest and abdomen sustained in a motor vehicle collision on the Huon Highway in Dover, Tasmania on 27 January 2020. Mr Clark was driving lawfully in the correct lane at appropriate speed when a motorhome driven by a German tourist crossed into the oncoming lane, colliding with his vehicle. The coroner found Mr Clark could not have avoided the crash. The other driver, Friedrich Burkhardt, was later convicted of causing death by negligent driving and sentenced to three months suspended imprisonment. The coroner concluded this was an unavoidable accident caused by driver error (possible confusion about which side of the road to drive on) and made no recommendations for systemic change.