Pensioner's road death prompts plea over pedestrian crossings

Dublin City Council was tonight urged to review the lay-out of pedestrian crossings along the quays in the capital after a 72-year-old woman died after being hit by a truck.

Kathleen Smith from St Benildus Villas, Navan, Co Meath, received serious head injuries on November 23, 2004 when she was struck by a truck as she crossed the road at Merchant’s Quay after a church service.

The Dublin City Coroner’s Court heard the elderly lady would have had to walk around 50 metres back up the road to the nearest pedestrian crossing, which involved negotiating a complicated junction.

The jury, which passed a verdict of accidental death, recommended Dublin City Council examine the pedestrian crossing facilities on Merchant’s Quay, and the Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, said he would write to the authority to highlight their request.

Mrs Chris Hughes, a friend of Mrs Smith, was just leaving a shop beside the church as Mrs Smith spotted a gap in the traffic and crossed the road.

Mrs Hughes said she did not realise anything had happened until she followed her friend across the road and went around a truck. “I saw her lying face down between the path and the truck,” she said.

The driver of the red Hino truck, Lazlo Penzes said he spotted Mrs Smith when she was halfway across the road.

He told the inquest there had been an articulated truck in front of him for a time and it was blocking his view to the left.

Mr Penzes said as he went through an intersection in the 30mph zone he checked his mirrors.

“I was almost past the junction, I had checked the mirror and when I looked forward again I saw the woman. “ He added: “When I saw her first I stepped on the brakes.”

Mr Penzes said he could not stop the lorry before he hit her. The inquest heard she had almost made it to the parked cars beside the footpath when she was struck.

John Smith, a son of the deceased, said he hoped the driver was getting counselling to cope with what had happened.

The inquest heard Mrs Smith was rushed to St James’s Hospital, where she died from serious head injuries on the evening of the accident.

The pathologist found she had died from severe head injuries from the incident.

The investigating garda, Aidan Leonard, said a file was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions and no proceedings were ordered.

He said: “The pedestrian crossing does seem to be situated very awkwardly. People are forced to go in a roundabout way to cross the road there.”

Gda Matthew Edgeworth, a public service vehicle inspector, said the red Hino lorry was in good roadworthy condition.

He said there was a heavy indentation of around 25-30mm in the front of the truck just below the driver’s window where it had struck Mrs Smith.

Mr Smith said: “To my mind that is a fairly large indentation that tells me that truck was going fast at the time of impact.”

Garda John Reynolds, from the forensic division said the lorry was travelling at around 35mph around 105 metres before it finally came to a halt.