A DELIVERY driver who was killed when the car he was driving crashed into a fence and overturned was not wearing a seatbelt at the time, an inquest has heard.

Steven Bake, 34, had been driving back to the Hartlepool takeaway he worked shifts for on his final delivery job of the night when his car was seen to leave the road and flip over before coming to rest in a field.

A forensic collision investigator told Teesside Coroners’ Court that Mr Bake was ejected from his Honda Accord as it overturned and he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene after sustaining a head injury.

Mr Bake’s partner had been travelling in the front passenger seat when the car crashed on a country road leaving Elwick Village, in Hartlepool, shortly after midnight on February 24.

His partner had been wearing a seatbelt at the time and she suffered a broken collar bone.

Witness statements described the area on the outskirts of the village as being “pitch black”, with Mr Bake’s family raising concerns over cat’s eyes missing from the road and faded road markings.

Hartlepool Borough Council’s highways, transport and traffic team leader, Peter Frost, gave evidence in the Middlesbrough court yesterday, stating that the authority were aware a “slow” road-marking was “barely visible”.

He added that the council carry out monthly inspections of highways in the borough, however missing cat’s eyes would not be picked up during the daytime.

Mr Frost confirmed that plans to introduce an annual inspection of roads at night are due to be given the go-ahead following the inquest.

Cleveland Police found that although road conditions in the area were good, “the road markings and missing cat’s eyes at the scene could not be discounted as a contributory factor to the vehicle leaving the carriageway”.

Senior coroner for Teesside and Hartlepool, Clare Bailey, concluded that Mr Bake, who also owned a business applying car decals, died as a result of a road traffic collision.

She said: “It seems to me that this is a tragic accident.

“We sadly do not know why Steven’s car left the road, he wasn’t under the influence of alcohol or drugs and there is no evidence there was a hazard on the road.

“There’s the issue of cat’s eyes and road markings and we’ve had an assurance that they will be replaced.”