Elderly woman's road death a 'tragic accident'

Constable Bayley Orr concluded Mr Merrylees would not have been able to see Ms Ling. Photo / File

The death of an elderly woman who was crushed to death when she walked in front of a truck at a Pakuranga intersection was a tragic reminder for pedestrians to use controlled pedestrian crossings, a coroner says.

Lixia Ling, 73, was on her daily walk from her home to the Highland Park shopping complex in Pakuranga on March 1 last year when she was run over and killed by a truck and trailer unit.

Prior to the accident, two or three cars were waiting at a red light at the intersection of an unnamed road at Placemakers in Pakuranga and Pakuranga Road.

Behind the waiting cars was also a truck and trailer unit, which Ms Ling stepped in front of to cross the road

As she crossed in front of the truck one witness saw Ms Ling fall forward, just as the waiting traffic got a green light.

The traffic moved forward, including the truck, and Ms Ling was run over by the first three axles of the truck.

Her injuries were so severe her body could not be visually identified and her daughter had to identify items found around her body.

The driver of the truck, James Merrylees, had not seen Ms Ling and was aware of her presence only after she had been run over.

Serious crash analyst Constable Bayley Orr concluded Mr Merrylees would not have been able to see Ms Ling when she walked directly in front of the cab.

In findings released today Coroner Morag McDowell said Ms Ling's death was the result of a tragic accident.

But she said her death served as a tragic reminder for pedestrians to be cautious when crossing busy city roads.

"The safest option for crossing roads controlled by traffic lights is at the light controlled pedestrian crossing, on the green man signal," she concluded.