Wem woman killed in crash would have survived if she had worn a seatbelt

Tara Mattee Lear-Jones died after she was was thrown out of the vehicle, an inquest heard.

Carer Ms Lear-Jones was not wearing her seltbelt as she travelled on the A539 road at Penley, near Ellesmere, the hearing was told.

Her car hit a hedge, rolled over and came to a stop on its wheels in the road.

The inquest heard from collision investigator Gordon Saynor, who said a belt would have saved her life.

Assistant Coroner for North Wales East and Central Nicola Jones said: "My sympathies go to the family. If anything good can come from this situation it is the message that seat belts save lives."

She concluded the cause of death was due to a road traffic collision.

A post mortem report, read from Dr Andrew Dalton, said Miss Lear-Jones, of Lowe Hill Lane, had suffered multiple fractures and an acute brain injury.

Efforts were made by people on the scene to help save her.

Elizabeth Hulland-Vernon arrived and said the car, a blue Corsa, was sideways across the road and she went to the driver's aid who appeared to respond to her questions.

Others also attended, including tractor driver David Baker, who moved his tractor to help protect the scene.

Peter Jude, who has a workshop near the scene and lives opposite, came to see what had happened, and saw damage to his hedge.

He said in a statement he came out to take pictures of his hedge, and took one of the scene before going back inside his home.

With passing people helping, Dr Kieran Redman, GP in Hanmer came across the accident and went to help Miss Lear-Jones.

He dismissed earlier claims she had responded to questions. He said it would have been an involuntary sound and that she was unconscious.

Dr Redman said that when he arrived at the scene he believed she had died, but on maintaining her airway she took a breath.

He told the inquest: "It was unbelievable she was still alive at this stage and her heart was still beating."

He sent a member of the public to his surgery to get medical supplies. When monitoring her heart beat, it became weaker and eventually stopped.

Those at the scene attempted CPR, and he added: "We had to try everything we could, you never know."

This went on for several minutes before it was decided between people at the scene that she had died.

Emergency services arrived at the scene shortly after, and Dr Redman expressed concern about ambulance response times in the area.

He added: "It wouldn't have made a difference in this case, but we are very exposed in the east of the county, and it can take up to half an hour for an ambulance to arrive. This is an opportunity to make this point so when a similar situation occurs there is more help and equipment available quicker."

Giving his report, collision investigator Mr Saynor said there was no defects on the road and the collision wasn't caused by environmental or mechanical issues.

He said it is likely it was caused by over-steering by the driver, but added: "The catalyst in this is not known."

He said due to no damage to the driver's area of the car, "a safety belt would have saved the life of Tara".