Tablet a ‘gross obstruction’ in fatal crash
AUCKLAND: A coroner has found a computer tablet was stuck in a ‘‘dangerous’’ place on the windscreen of a truck that hit and killed a woman in Auckland.
Valerie Stewart (74), of Mt Albert, was using a walker when she was struck and killed by the small truck in Mt Albert in June 2018.
A photo released by the Ministry of Justice shows the A4sized tablet stuck on the windscreen directly in front of the driver’s seat.
Coroner Heather McKenzie said the tablet, which had delivery details on it, was an impediment to driver Johnathon Thompson’s vision and concentration.
‘‘An electronic tablet was attached to the inside of the truck’s windscreen more or less directly in front of Mr Thompson, at head height, and within his critical vision area,’’ Ms McKenzie’s findings said.
It formed a ‘‘gross obstruction to the driver’s clear view ahead’’, she said.
The tablet contained information on the day’s deliveries.
Ms McKenzie recommended police, Work-Safe and the NZ Transport Agency undertake a joint safety campaign about the use of devices by drivers.
‘‘Drawing greater public attention to the issue will reduce the chances of further deaths occurring in similar circumstances.’’
Witnesses reported Ms Stewart tried to cross where there was a lot of traffic in a 50kmh zone.
There was no evidence the truck was speeding.
Mr Thompson told police ‘‘I was just driving. I had my eyes on the road and then all of a sudden I saw her out of the corner of my eye’’.
Mr Thompson pleaded guilty and was convicted in August 2019 of one charge of careless driving causing death.
He was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving for 15 months.
The delivery company, Kamush Freight Ltd, told the inquest it provided tablets to drivers — ‘‘however, the placement . . . is left [to] the discretion of the drivers’’.
The police crash report said the positioning of the tablet ‘‘made the vehicle unsafe to operate’’.
Police also said the road rule on cellphones only applied to devices that could be used as phones.