Crash lorry driver ‘lied about illness’

THE driver of a bin lorry which crashed in Glasgow killing six people repeatedly lied about his medical history, a sheriff has found.

Harry Clarke had lost consciousness when the truck careered along a busy street in the city centre on December 22 last year.

A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) found the accident might have been avoided if Mr Clarke had told the truth about his medical history after it emerged he had previously blacked out while at the wheel of a stationary bus.

Sheriff John Beckett QC found the 58-year-old had “repeatedly lied in order to gain and retain jobs and licences”, and “deliberately concealed relevant information from the DVLA”.

He found eight “reasonable precautions” – all relating to Mr Clarke’s medical past – whereby the accident might have been avoided and has made recommendations which could reduce the chance of another such tragedy from happening.

Sheriff Beckett made a total of 19 recommendations, including calling on Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin to hold a consultation on whether doctors should be given more freedom to report fitness-to-drive concerns directly to the DVLA.

In a written determination, Sheriff Beckett said: “The most effective measure to prevent such an occurrence would be to seek to avoid drivers becoming incapacitated at the wheel.

“Responsibility in that regard lies with drivers themselves and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

“It may well be that the single most useful outcome of this inquiry would be to raise awareness of the dangers involved in driving if subject to a medical condition which could cause the driver to lose control of a vehicle.”