Crash death pensioner was not wearing glasses (From The Northern Echo)

Crash death pensioner was not wearing glasses

11:50pm Friday 18th July 2008 in

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A PENSIONER may have died in a car crash in County Durham because she was driving without her glasses, an inquest heard.

Amelia Hickman, a 68-year-old from Margate, Kent, was killed on the A68, near Consett, on Halloween night last year.

At the inquest into her death at Darlington County Court, coroner Andrew Tweddle heard witness testimony that Ms Hickman had been driving on the wrong side of the road.

Paul Lax, of Sunniside, crashed head on into Ms Hickman's Honda Civic on his way home.

"The optician said she should have been wearing spectacles as it could affect her driving, particularly in the dark."

PC Robert Cowie

He said he noticed the car was straying across the centre of the road and thought "what are you doing" but the crash happened within a split second.

The post mortem found no trace of alcohol or drugs in Ms Hickman's blood and the road conditions were fine. PC Robert Cowie of Durham Police said Ms Hickman had been stopped by another driver earlier that night who was concerned that she had been swerving across the road.

"She was seen in the Stanhope area and was spoken to by another driver who was concerned with the manner of her driving," he said.

"She said she had driven up from Kent the night before and was driving back that night.

"He said she should stay the night at a bed and breakfast but she drove away."

Ms Hickman was involved in the crash shortly afterwards. She sustained serious injuries was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

PC Cowie said he had been in touch with her opticians in Kent and was told she needed glasses for driving. No spectacles were found at the scene of the crash.

"The optician said she should have been wearing spectacles as it could affect her driving, particularly in the dark," said PC Cowie.

Mr Tweddle recorded a verdict of accidental death.