Moped rider died in crash on blind bend
A MOPED rider was killed in a head-on collision after losing control when he encountered a queue of traffic on a blind corner, an inquest heard.
Ryan Johnston, 17, died in the collision with a Jaguar X-Type on the A377 near Newton St Cyres.
Following the inquest at Exeter's County Hall and Greater Devon Coroner Dr Elizabeth Earland called for better signs warning of potentially hazardous bends.
The inquest heard how motorists were forced to brake suddenly on rounding the bend, near Smallbrook Cottages on the Exeter-bound carriageway, as a stationary lorry was blocking the road.
The Mid Devon Community Recycling truck was picking up refuse from the cottages by the side of the road when the incident happened in May last year.
Ryan, of Bow, near Crediton, lost control of his moped after clipping the side of his friend Russell Holme's motorcycle.
A statement released by Ryan's family – including mother and father Jill and Ian and sister Eleanor, 25 – after the inquest said: "Ryan was an engaging and popular young man. He was hard-working and caring with a bright future ahead of him.
"His life was tragically cut short by, it would seem, complacency in working practices."
The inquest heard how lorry driver Peter Robbins said the spot he had parked was "dangerous" but that he had received no training or guidance as to how to carry out the pick-up any differently.
"I was doing my job the best I could," he said in a police interview after the accident.
"I just tried to position the lorry so it wasn't blocking all of the road to avoid an accident happening."
Mr Robbins said the company no longer collected from Smallbrook Cottages.
Recording a verdict of accidental death, Dr Earland said: "The moped, modified to increase power, was being ridden by Ryan when it went out of control when confronted with a stationary line of traffic. He went out of control and collided with an oncoming vehicle. The recycling lorry's hazard lights and flashing beacons would not be seen around the bend.
"I will be making a recommendation where such hazards exist behind a bend. Consideration should be made by authorities to place signage in advance of such bends, where traffic can mount up unseen."
A spokesman for Mid Devon Community Recycling Ltd declined to comment.
A spokesman for Mid Devon District Council said: "The council will consider the coroner's report and any recommendations when it is published."
Comments
by rebecca, Crediton
Wednesday, January 20 2010, 10:07PM
“I think it is wrong that not much about Mid Devon Community Recycling Ltd was put into the papers for everybody to read, in my eyes it is completely their fault. If the lorry was not parked there he would never have lost control. More should off been done to prosecute the drive, as for him saying he had no training is ridicules I haven¿t had any training but I know not to park on a blind corner it is just common since.”