Driver died after junction collision

A Weston Hills woman died in a road crash after pulling into the path of another vehicle, an inquest was told.

Caroline Holmes (54) was driving on the A1103 at Osgodby in a black Mercedes on October 20 last year.

She pulled out of a junction with the A46 in front of a seven-seater SsanYong Rodius and died as a result of the injuries she sustained in the collision.

Assistant Coroner for Lincolnshire, Marianne Johnson, concluded that a road traffic collision was the cause of death.

The inquest heard from forensic collision investigator PC Godfrey Barlow that there had been no issue with either vehicle that would have caused the crash. The road had been damp at the time, but visibility at the junction was good in both directions, he said.

The driver of the SsanYong had been working in Market Rasen and was returning home to Grimsby at the time of the crash.

“He said he was travelling between 50 and 56mph and he could see headlights in Top Road, to his left. He said as he got near, it began to pull out and he did not have time to react,” said PC Barlow.

A cyclist who witnessed the incident, told the hearing he did not believe the SsanYong was speeding at the time.

“I realised there was no chance of the car clearing the junction,” said his statement which was read at the inquest.
The driver of the vehicle behind the Mercedes said there were two cars in front of him and the first pulled out almost immediately.

“The Mercedes stopped but rolled back towards me and I thought it was going to hit me,” the statement said.
But instead it pulled forward and out onto the main road into the path of the SsanYong.

“It started to pull forward and there was no hesitation,” he said.

PC Barlow said there was no evidence to suggest that either driver was using a mobile phone at the time of the crash and Miss Holmes’ toxicology results showed no alcohol or drugs in her bloodstream.

He added that there was nothing to indicate it had been a deliberate act and there was no indication of a medical emergency to account for her actions.

“The collision resulted because of her driving,” he told the inquest.

He said the driver of the SsanYong had been driving appropriately and had tried to take evasive action when he saw the Mercedes.