‘Alarm bells’: Both lights turned green in horror bus, cyclist crash

A veteran bus driver involved in a fatal crash with a 20-year-old cyclist has told a court he did not see the rider once before the tragic collision.

Bus driver Andrew Rudnicki leaves the inquest after giving evidence. Picture: Liam Kidston.

A veteran bus driver involved in a fatal crash with a 20-year-old cyclist has told a court he did not see the rider once before the tragic collision.

Maximillian Patrick McDowall was riding to work at the Queensland University of Technology in May 2021 when he was killed in a crash with a Brisbane City Council bus driven by Andrew Rudnicki at a Woolloongabba intersection.

Queensland Police Forensic Crash Unit Sergeant Carl Cutler on Monday told an inquest that “alarm bells” were immediately raised when he discovered the lights at the intersection had changed to green for both Mr Rudnicki and Mr McDowall at the same time.

Mr Rudnicki was turning left into a busway while Mr McDowall was attempting to continue straight.

Sgt Cutler told the Brisbane Coroners Court that he would ordinarily expect to see a “separation” in the timing of the green lights for pedestrians and vehicles, allowing time for pedestrians to start moving with right of way before vehicles then began moving.

He gave evidence the lights both changing to green at the same time increased risk of a collision because while pedestrians still had right of way, it gave the impression to both pedestrians and vehicles that they were free to move.

Robert McDowall, the father of the young man killed, leaves court. Picture: Liam Kidston.

The court heard the lighting sequence at the intersection has since been changed to allow a separation in the timing of the green lights.

The inquest viewed mapping that showed it was likely Mr McDowall was in the blind spot of the City Glider bus leading up to the collision.

Sgt Cutler said investigations revealed Mr McDowall had travelled the same route multiple times a week for two years and he had been cycling in the area since he was in primary school.

“(His parents) told me he’d never mentioned any other incidents or near misses at the location” he said.

“They told me he was an experienced and cautious cyclist who was generally risk averse.”

Sgt Cutler said bus driver Mr Rudnicki told him at the scene that prior to the collision, he had been waiting at a red light at the intersection and after his light went green, he waited for a pedestrian and cyclist coming the opposite direction before he made his left turn.

“Then he felt the impact and heard someone screaming from the rear of the bus but didn’t know why,” he said.

He said investigations revealed the driver had travelled that route almost 800 times in his 35 year bus driving career.

He was initially charged with a traffic offence relating to failing to give way but that was later discontinued by prosecutors.

Mr Rudnicki gave evidence on Monday that on the day of the accident, he did not see Mr McDowall and first became aware of him when he felt the “bump” of the collision.

He agreed the bus had numerous blind spots.

Mr Rudnicki addressed Mr McDowall’s family at the end of his evidence, telling them he was “sorry for what’s happened”.

The inquest before Coroner Donald MacKenzie is examining the circumstances of the crash, Mr Rudnicki’s ability to see Mr McDowall, the design of the intersection, subsequent updates to the lighting sequence and whether there are any further changes that could improve safety.