An investigation into a bus crash which claimed the life of a 35-year-old woman at Adamstown last year has found the driver suffered a Transient Loss of Consciousness in the moments before the tragedy.
Raani Bennett and her dog were waiting at the pedestrian crossing on Brunker Road on the afternoon of Tuesday November 5 2019 when they were struck by the bus carrying school children.
Despite the frantic efforts of nearby workers, Ms Bennett was unable to be revived and died at the scene along with her dog.
A report by the Office of Transport Safety Investigations found a review of the bus's CCTV footage shows the 61-year-old male driver appeared incapacitated and had lost control of the bus.
He told investigators he "felt dizzy and was looking for a place to pull over when everything went black".
The report found he lost consciousness for 16 seconds.
It also found the driver was aware of feeling unwell before the incident but did not anticipate becoming incapacitated.
The report has recommended a review of the health assessment standards for commercial passenger vehicle drivers and that bus operators should review their polices to ensure drivers are aware they should stop their bus when they recognise they are affected by ill-health.
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| The crash scene at Adamstown in November 2019 Picture: Ian Crouch |
