A coroner has recommended proximity alarm systems for heavy vehicles following the death of six-year-old Gisborne girl Carla Neems who was run over by a rubbish truck.
She was killed by a Waste Management truck on her way home from school on May 2, 2017.
Coroner Tim Scott says as she passed in front of the vehicle, it was likely in the driver’s blind spot as the truck moved forward, hitting and killing her instantly.
“Once the driver starts to drive, he cannot see that area immediately in front of the truck… It is only during the small portion of time when the truck starts to move and covers the first metre or two that the blind spot is relevant. Tragically, that is exactly where Carla was,” Scott said.
“Had the truck been fitted with one or more proximity audio alarms… it is almost (but not absolutely) certain that Carla would have been saved.”
Scott also recommended Waste Management put warning signage on its trucks such as, “caution I stop often and am often driven from the left”.
In a statement, Waste Management managing director Tom Nickles said it was a terrible accident, and was confident the company would meet the Coroner’s recommendations.
“Since June, all new Low Entry Vehicle trucks introduced into our fleet are supplied with proximity audio alarms as a standard feature. We have also progressed with investigations into retro-fitting alarms to existing trucks, and we are confident that we can meet the Coroner’s recommended timeline,” Nickels said.
