Driver fatigue blamed for death

Slalom skier Adam Hall is congratulated by his mother Gayle after winning gold at the Vancouver Winter Paralympics. Photo / Getty Images

Driver fatigue is to blame for the tragic death of Gayle Hall, days after her son Adam Hall won a gold medal at the Winter Paralympics in Canada.

Otago-Southland coroner David Crerar found at an inquest in the Dunedin Coroner's Court yesterday that the 48-year-old midwife died after falling asleep at the wheel of her car.

Mrs Hall crashed 400m from the front gate of her Woodside home, on the Taieri Plain, in April last year.

Family and friends in the court sobbed as Constable Jared Kirk read his police statement.

Police found she was driving in Otokia Rd about 8am when her car drifted across the centre-line, off the right side of the road and into trees.

She suffered "immediately fatal" chest, head and abdomen injuries in the crash, Mr Crerar said.

He described her death as a tragedy, especially as the family would have been "on a real high after the achievements of Adam".

The contribution of shift work, recent overseas travel, public attention following her son's success, and the demands of being a mother and wife all played a part in her fatigue.

"Burning a candle at both ends takes on a whole new meaning.

"I think all of those efforts, while extraordinary and to be applauded, were just too much in those circumstances," he said.

However, her death would have been "more tragic if we learn nothing from it".

"There is a lesson for us all ... as soon as you feel yourself going to sleep, stop, take a break, and consider how you can get yourself to your destination safely."

Mr Crerar had presided over at least three inquests since the beginning of last year in which he found that drivers falling asleep at the wheel and losing control of their vehicle had led to a death.

He was also concerned that airbags do not deploy twice. Such a system could have protected Mrs Hall from a second major impact during the crash.

While such crashes were rare, the New Zealand Transport Agency would be informed of his findings to advise of the benefit of airbags deploying more than once.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES