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A snap border closure was not a factor in the death of a truck driver travelling into South Australia, the Coroners Court of Victoria has found.
Key points:
- South Australian truck driver Steven Lawrie died after his truck crashed into stationary traffic in a line up to cross the border
- The Coroners Court of Victoria has found the snap border closure was not a factor in Mr Lawrie's death
- Coroner Simon McGregor was unable to find a precise reason that Mr Lawrie did not react to the queued traffic
Steven James Lawrie, 46, of Parafield in SA, was killed in a fiery crash near Serviceton in February last year.
A queue of vehicles on the Western Highway waiting to pass through a border checkpoint was several kilometres long in the early morning hours of February 11, after the South Australian Government imposed tighter border restrictions on travellers from Greater Melbourne.
On Wednesday, coroner Simon McGregor released his report into the cause of the fatal crash.
He found that "unexplained driver error was the most likely cause" of the collision.
Mr McGregor found the hard border closure between South Australia and Victoria, and the operation of the Serviceton border checkpoint, was "not a causal factor" in the crash.
The report also found there was no evidence of mechanical failure or fault, and "insufficient evidence" of mobile phone distraction, fatigue nor a medical episode playing a role in Mr Lawrie's death.
Traffic backlog over the border
Robert Rodda, one of the other drivers involved in the three-truck crash, gave evidence to the coroner.
Mr Rodda said he was listening to the UHF radio and hearing about "the long line up to the border crossing".
"I was told over the UHF radio the line-up was about six kilometres long and the traffic was at a stop," Mr Rodda said.
Detective Acting Sergeant Phil Frith with Victoria Police investigated the scene and also provided evidence.
"From the level of damage to all the vehicles, it was evident to me that truck 3 [driven by Mr Lawrie] had been travelling at speed when it impacted the stationary truck 2," Acting Sergeant Firth said.
Mr McGregor found that Mr Lawrie had "clear visibility along a flat, straight stretch" of the Western Highway, and rear hazard indicators and brake lights "should have provided sufficient warning" about the queued traffic.
According to the coroner's report, the autopsy showed evidence of heart disease "capable of causing him to pass out" but did not mean Mr Lawrie "necessarily had a heart attack".
The report said the reason for the crash "cannot be unequivocally determined" from the autopsy.
COVID border restrictions
Mr McGregor investigated whether the snap border closure was a contributor to Mr Lawrie's death, including considering the time frame between the announcement and the closure, the Serviceton checkpoint staffing, and messaging signs on the Western Highway alerting travellers to a backlog of vehicles.
Mr McGregor said he was satisfied that the checkpoint was operating in accordance with the relevant Australian Standard.
"I find that to the relevant standard, none of the shortcomings or deficiencies identified was causative to the fatal collision," he said.
Mr McGregor said the coronial investigation "has failed to identify a precise reason as to why Steven failed to react to the queued traffic".
"I find, on the balance of probabilities, that unexplained driver error is the cause of the fatal collision resulting in Steven's passing."