Andrew Carey
A GARDA forensic collision expert has said that television adverts proclaiming that speed kills are far from the truth, as the greatest danger lies within the first meter of a vehicle moving off.
PSV investigator Garda Mike Reddy made his comments at the inquest into the death of a Spanish woman who was crushed under the wheels of articulated lorry on July 9, 2014 last.
Limerick Coroner’s Court heard that a 30-year-old Natalia Jimenez left her home at Riverpoint on the morning in question and was cycling to work. At the same time, an articulated lorry carrying medical supplies – driven by Mike Hogan, left the Raheen Business Park and headed towards the city.
The lorry and cyclist met near the Hunt Museum as Mr Hogan was stopped in the vehicle waiting for the lights to change at the junction of Rutland Street, Charlotte Quay and Fr Matthews Bridge.
However tragedy struck when Ms Jimenez cycled into the blind spot of Mr Hogan’s lorry as he began to move off when the lights turned green.
During the inquest, several eye witnesses gave evidence of seeing the accident unfold and the events in the immediate aftermath.
As Mr Hogan moved off, Ms Jimenez, who had cycled diagonally across the front of the lorry, tried to move away but became trapped and crushed under the lorry’s wheels.
The lorry driver told the inquest that he noticed a man in car on Fr Matthew’s bridge flashing his lights and waving frantically before he heard a thud.
Ms Jimenez was discovered under the lorry and the alarm was raised but the 30-year-old Spanish national died of massive internal crush injuries.
Outlining the findings of his detailed collision investigation report, Garda Reddy told the court that he found no defects with the lorry.
Ms Jimenez, he said, moved into a blind spot in the cycle box at the junction and as she was within two meters of the front of the lorry, she was in a blind spot and no matter what action taken by the driver, she would not have been seen from his position.
Gda Reddy found that Ms Jimenez pulled her bike in front of Mr Hogan in the very last seconds before impact and he could have done nothing about it.
“When a HGV is stationary, it is difficult for a driver to maintain control of blind spots in an urban area. At speed, it is much easier to control the risks.
“The TV ads that say speed kills are far from the truth as the greatest danger for a fatality is at the first meter of moving when the risk is greatest”.
Garda Reddy added that educating the public is key to avoiding these types of accidents but this was a case of prefect timing – in all the wrong ways – for this tragedy to happen.
Coroner John McNamara directed the jury to return a verdict of accidental death and in accordance with the medical evidence.
