ACCIDENT COST DAD HIS LIFE
Taxi driver died in horror smash on bridge
A MUCH-LOVED taxi driver died after suffering a catastrophic head injury in a horror crash on Newcastle’s Redheugh Bridge, an inquest has heard.
Dad-of-three Mohammed Rahman, known as Khalid, was pronounced dead at the scene after his car collided with a bus on May 10 last year.
Newcastle Coroners Court heard that the 36-year-old, from Elswick, was travelling south from Newcastle to Gateshead over the Redheugh Bridge when he started to move from the outside lane into the outside lane of the northbound carriageway, into the path of an oncoming bus.
Several witnesses reported that it looked like Mr Rahman had been trying to overtake another car when he moved into the other lane.
But Northumbria Police collision investigator PC Paul Beavers said there was no definitive evidence of this, and that Mr Rahman may have become “distracted”.
Coroner Karen Dilks said that Mr Rahman had made “errors of judgement” which resulted in “catastrophic consequences”, as she recorded a conclusion of accidental death.
Pathologist Jennifer Bolton told the inquest that at the time of Mr Rahman’s death there was alcohol in his blood at almost twice the legal drink drive limit, and that he had “consumed cocaine at some point” prior to the crash.
PC Beavers said that on the night of May 10 Mr Rahman had been socialising in Newcastle with his passenger in the car, Miss Adamson.
The pair, who were said to have been in a relationship since February 2016, then decided to go to a friend’s house in Gateshead.
A statement from the bus driver, who was taking around 10 passengers towards Newcastle on his last job of the night, described seeing Mr Rahman’s Honda Accord “trying to overtake the car in front of him”.
The bus driver then swerved to avoid a collision and hit the crash barrier, suffering serious injuries.
Another motorist on the bridge described seeing the taxi “suddenly move to the right side as if to attempt to overtake” before striking the front of the bus.
PC Beavers said that Mr Rahman had not been wearing his seatbelt at the time.
He told the hearing: “It’s my conclusion that the collision occurred due to an error in judgement on the part of Mr Rahman, whether through a deliberate overtaking manoeuvre or a distraction.”
Coroner Karen Dilks said: “Mr Rahman made errors of judgement which had catastrophic consequences for him. The appropriate conclusion for me to draw is that this was an accident, and that’s what I’m going to record.”
Following his death Mr Rahman’s family paid tribute to a devoted dad to three sons who was “loved by everybody”.
His heartbroken sister described him as a “father figure” within her family, who started work at 16 to support his siblings after their dad died.
Hadija Khatur said her brother was “completely selfless” and loved travelling, fishing and camping.
TAXI DRIVER WAS KILLED IN HORROR SMASH ON REDHEUGH BRIDGE