'Don't drive when tired,' says coroner at inquest into 'terrible tragedy' of Kerry nurse

“This was a terrible tragedy. This was a 26-year-old girl at the start of her career," the coroner said

Kerrie Browne was driving her Volkswagen Golf home to Brosna at around 8.10am when she crossed the white line and drifted onto the path of an oncoming car.

A 26-year-old nurse died after the vehicle she was driving crossed the N21 near Castleisland after she came off night duty at University Hospital Kerry in Tralee in early October 2019, the inquest into her death was told.

The ambulance crew who attended the scene shortly after the incident knew her from her work, the inquest in Tralee was told.

Kerrie Browne was driving her Volkswagen Golf home to Brosna at around 8.10am when she crossed the white line and drifted onto the path of an oncoming Toyota Land Cruiser driven by John Power of Abbeyfeale.

Mr Power, a self-employed engineer, took evasive action including slowing to a crawl speed and driving onto the crash barrier to try to avoid the oncoming car. The position of the speedometer on the Golf was at 120km after impact.

The land cruiser was pushed back over three metres from the point of impact and witnesses saw the silver Volkswagen lift one metre off the ground and end up turned back towards Castleisland. Both vehicles were significantly damaged and airbags had deployed.

The driver of another vehicle had also swerved to avoid the Volkswagen and the mother and daughter in that car saw the blonde woman driver of the Golf with her eyes closed and looking peaceful. Her head was tilted to the left.

Sleep-related road accidents

The vehicles in the collision were both in good order and road conditions were dry and it was daylight, garda examiners said in evidence. No alcohol or drugs were involved and Mr Power had undergone a breath test and it was negative.

Extensive efforts were made to resuscitate the young nurse. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 9.06am. Death was due to trauma due to a road traffic collision, the post-mortem found.

The garda who examined the scene of the collision said research had been done into sleep-related accidents on roads — and with the fact that there was no sign of braking by the Volkswagen, the road conditions, the driver being under the age of 30 and the time of the accident — Ms Browne fitted nearly all the criteria.

Kerrie Browne was a qualified paediatric nurse and had been working in A&E in University Hospital Kerry for just six weeks.

Coroner Helen Lucey said the evidence was clear. Kerrie Browne died on October 2, 2019, at Ahaneboy, Castleisland, due to injuries sustained in a road traffic collision. The coroner remarked on “the silence” in the courtroom throughout the inquest, reflecting the terrible tragedy.

“This was a terrible tragedy. This was a 26-year-old girl at the start of her career," Ms Lucey said. Mr Power would also have suffered trauma and to be involved in a road traffic accident was traumatic for everyone, the coroner said.

She commended the witnesses and those helping at the scene, including a nurse who came upon it and held Kerrie's hand, and the ambulance, fire crews and doctor who attended the scene, the inquest heard.

“Everything that was possible was done but unfortunately, Kerrie did not survive the accident,” the coroner said.

The evidence from the scene investigator was of classic symptoms of a road traffic accident when someone was tired, the coroner remarked. Therefore she was making a recommendation: “Everyone should take note not to drive when one is tired.” 

Sympathies

Ms Lucey said she was obliged to point this out in the hope that future accidents would be prevented. A solicitor on behalf of Mr Power and his wife offered their deepest sympathies to the family of the late Kerrie Browne, as did the coroner, gardaí and the pathologist.

Afterwards, Andrea, Kerrie’s older sister said she wished to reinforce the coroner’s advice.

Her sister had come off a 12-hour shift. Driving after a night shift was a particular concern among nurses, she had learned. The late Kerrie had trained at Whittington Hospital in North London and was a qualified paediatric nurse and had been working in A&E in University Hospital Kerry for just six weeks.

Andrea Browne also thanked Parc Road Safety Group and particularly founder Susan Gray for their support and attention throughout, including on the morning of the inquest.