Abrahams, Amy Lee - Non-inquest findings

OFFICE OF THE STATE CORONER NON-INQUEST FINDINGS CITATION: Investigation into the death of Amy Lee Abrahams TITLE OF COURT: Coroner’s Court JURISDICTION: Southport FILE NO(s): 2013/1898 FINDINGS OF: Mr James McDougall, Southeastern Coroner CATCHWORDS: CORONERS: investigation, motor vehicle accident, condition of road

Amy Lee Abrahams was 19 years of age. She resided at 91-97 Barry Road, Tamborine.

On Wednesday, 29 May 2013, at about 0805 hours, Amy Lee Abrahams was the driver and sole occupant of a black Honda Civic sedan, Queensland registration number 688 KEU. She was driving in a generally north westerly direction along Tamborine Mountain Road at Tamborine. While it was not raining at the time, it had been raining earlier that morning and the roadway was wet.

Tamborine Mountain Road at the point of collision is of bitumen surface with one lane travelling in each direction. The lanes are separated by a double continuous white line and there is a continuous white line on the outer edges of each lane. In a generally northwesterly direction Tamborine Mountain Road enters into a sweeping right hand bend that leads onto a straight downhill section of roadway. On either side of the roadway there are large trees.

In the direction of travel followed by Amy Abrahams’ vehicle the terrain falls away to her left, whilst on the opposite side of Mount Tamborine Road there is a gradual rise in the terrain. As Ms Abrahams has attempted to negotiate the sweeping right hand bend, she appears to have lost control of her vehicle and overcorrected. This has caused the vehicle to rotate, with the driver’s side of the vehicle colliding heavily with a large tree on the edge of a steep drop off on the western side of the road.

Ms Abrahams suffered serious injuries in the collision and was pronounced deceased at the scene. There were no eye witnesses to the collision.

Police from the Forensic Crash Unit were called to the scene and investigated the accident. Upon his arrival at the scene, Sergeant Hickey of the Forensic Crash Unit observed another vehicle, which was located down the embankment on the western side of the road that appeared to have also lost control on the same bend the previous day.

Police interviewed the driver of this vehicle, Julia Smith, who stated that she had been driving through the same bend as that of Ms Abrahams when all of a sudden she lost control of her vehicle after exiting the bend. She stated that she was driving at approximately 70kph and that it was raining lightly and the roadway was wet. She stated that as she came into the bend, her vehicle moved towards the centre line and when she steered it to the left, to get her vehicle back into the correct lane, the rear of her vehicle then flicked out to the right into the oncoming lane. The vehicle then slid off the roadway and was damaged. She was not injured.

Sergeant Hickey of the Forensic Crash Unit also reports that on the 27 June 2013 a single vehicle accident occurred on the same bend of Mount Tamborine Road. The driver of the vehicle suffered serious injuries.

Investigations revealed that the conditions on this occasion were the same as the previous two incidents referred to above. Having regard to the number of Non-inquest findings of the investigation into the death of Amy Lee Abrahams 1

serious incidents occurring at this location, this report revealed the following negative investigation findings:

1. Curve speed analysis indicates successive g-force around these curves while travelling at the posted speed limit.

2. Adverse cross fall around this bend.

The report makes the following recommendations: Short Term

1. Install 60kph curve advisory signage on the northbound approach and 70kph curve advisory signage on the southbound approach to this curve.

2. Installation of slippery when wet signage on approaches.

Mid Term Recommendation

1. Speed limit review.

2. Skid resistant testing.

3. Clearing major tree hazards.

Long Term Recommendations

1. Resurfacing.

2. Re-alignment of curve to eliminate adverse broken back geometry.

3. Eliminate adverse cross fall.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads has agreed to proceed with each of the recommendations as funding becomes available.

Following the accident, Ms Abrahams was transported from the scene. An autopsy was conducted on the 31 May 2013. The autopsy confirmed that Amy Lee Abrahams died on the 29 May 2013 on Tamborine Mountain Road, Tamborine, from multiple injuries, due to or as a consequence of a motor vehicle accident.

James McDougall Southeastern Coroner 1 September 2014 Non-inquest findings of the investigation into the death of Amy Lee Abrahams 2