Haulage driver death 'could have been prevented'
Date: 15 November 2007
A haulage lorry driver has died after his truck crashed, but the outcome may have been different had he been wearing his seatbelt.
An inquest into the death of 61-year-old Edwin Steerman, who had been driving freight haulage vehicles for more than 18 years, heard that he was overtaking a moped when he hit an oncoming car and his articulated haulage lorry overturned, the Thetford & Brandon Times reports.
Investigators said that he had been exceeding the lorry's speed limit, and should not have been performing the manoeuvre in that spot. The approaching car had no time to react.
Coroner William Armstrong said: "The evidence does establish that Ed was exceeding the speed limit, and it is clear from the evidence that he commenced this overtaking in circumstances when it was clearly unsafe to do so."
He added that, had the haulage driver been wearing his seatbelt, he may not have been killed.
"It's just unbelievable," said Ed's wife Betty, adding that he was normally a careful driver known as 'Steady Eddie'.
The accident happened at Little Ryburgh near Norwich. The car driver was not injured. In the back of the truck was a grain load.
Under new plans, freight drivers and others caught speeding at 45mph or above in a 30mph zone could face six points on their licence, as well as a £100 fine.
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