Humpty Doo crash driver Sonya Wiffen faces trial over local woman Sally Steers’ death

A jury must decide whether five seconds of inattention is enough to convict a woman of dangerous driving causing death, after lawyers gave their closing statements in Sonya Wiffen’s trial.

Humpty Doo resident Sally Steers died in a car crash just metres away from her partner's property. Picture: Supplied

A jury must decide whether five seconds of inattention amounts to dangerous driving, after lawyers gave their closing statements in the trial of the crash that killed Humpty Doo woman Sally Steers.

The statements delivered in Darwin’s Supreme Court Monday revealed the tragic detail that driver Sonya Wiffen, 50, who allegedly caused the crash, was cradling Ms Steer’s head in her lap as medics tried to save her.

Wiffen has pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing death after the fatal smash on the Arnhem Highway on May 29, 2021.

It is alleged Wiffen’s Toyota HiLux rear-ended Ms Steers at 80km/h as she waited to turn off the highway, sending Ms Steers’ Ford Focus into the path of oncoming traffic where she was hit by a Commodore travelling 88km/h.

The Crown is alleging that Wiffen drove dangerously when she travelled for five seconds over a distance of 117m without doing anything to avoid impact until the final second.

Black box data from the car shows Wiffen’s brakes were applied about 0.35 seconds before the crash.

Prosecutor Stephen Robson SC said this would not have happened to “a diligent driver”.

“I’d suggest to you that the evidence shows that the only reason Sonya Wiffen didn’t have time to stop or go around the Ford is that she wasn’t paying attention,” he said.

Mr Robson said it was broad daylight and evidence suggested Ms Steers’ indicator was on to make an “ordinary, everyday” traffic manoeuvre.

“It wasn’t a case where Sally Steers suddenly appeared out of nowhere,” he said.

“It only went from a normal everyday situation to a hazardous situation because of (Wiffen’s) failure to be attentive to the task of her driving and to slow down, steer around or stop.”

The Crown told the jury to keep emotion out of their decision making.

“The idea that anyone might find themselves in this kind of situation is not a relevant consideration in any way,” Mr Robson said.

Wiffen’s barrister, John Lawrence SC, argued while the crash had a devastating outcome, moments of inattention did not amount to dangerous driving.

“We all know what inattention is, we’ve all driven, we’ve all driven inattentively,” he said.

He said after the crash Wiffen had gone to “the disaster” and tried to help by cradling Ms Steers’ head in her lap.

Mr Lawrence called into question the black box reading, pointing to GPS information that gave different speeds of Wiffen’s HiLux before impact.

Defence also argued Wiffen’s response time may have been delayed as it was more difficult to judge if a car ahead was slowing when on a straight road, and evidence could not prove how long Ms Steer’s indicator had been on.

“When you put it down to a five second period where there are things that affect drivers – ordinary, good, prudent drivers – you have to be doubtful that this could confirm the criminal charge,” Mr Lawrence said.

Wiffen sat opposite the jury during the closing statements, at times wiping tears and sweat from her face.

Acting Justice Graham will give his summary to the jury on Tuesday morning before they are sent to decide on a verdict.

Sonya Wiffen, 50, is on trial for dangerous driving causing death over the fatal crash that killed Humpty Doo woman Sally Steers. Picture: Supplied.

Humpty Doo fatal crash driver faces trial over woman’s death

A woman who allegedly caused a crash that killed Humpty Doo woman Sally Steers by rear-ending her car at 80km/h was “crying and freaking out” in its aftermath, a court has heard.

Sonya Wiffen, 50, pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court on Monday to dangerous driving causing death after the fatal smash on the Arnhem Highway on May 29, 2021.

Crown prosecutor Stephen Robson SC told the jury Ms Steers was driving her Ford Focus east when she slowed and indicated to turn right into her partner’s driveway at about 1.27pm.

Mr Robson said as Ms Steers waited for oncoming traffic to pass, Wiffen crashed her Toyota HiLux into the back of the Ford, pushing it into the path of a Commodore coming the other way.

He said the Commodore’s driver was unable to avoid a collision and crashed into Ms Steers’ car at about 88km/h.

Mr Robson said the Crown alleged it was only when the HiLux was “no more than 8.02m (away) and about 0.35 seconds before the impact” that Wiffen first applied the brakes.

“Sally Steers’ Ford had slowed down and was effectively waiting to make that right hand turn across the opposite lane of the highway for a period of about five seconds before Sonya Wiffen’s HiLux collided with it,” he said.

“The HiLux was well over 100m behind the Ford at the time that it slowed down, had its indicator on and was waiting to make that right hand turn.

“So on the Crown case, the accused had over 100m and five seconds to see the Ford waiting on the highway ahead and to do something in her driving to avoid the collision, whether that was by slowing down, stopping, steering around the Ford or a combination of those kinds of things.”

Mr Robson said he expected the driver of the Commodore to testify that he had not seen what caused the Ford to veer into his lane but later spoke to a woman at the scene the Crown alleged was Wiffen.

“She was crying and freaking out and worrying about the lady in the Ford and she told (him) words to the effect that the driver of the Ford had just stopped suddenly and she didn’t have time to stop,” he said.

Mr Robson said while it was not suggested Wiffen had deliberately driven into the back of Ms Steers’ car, it was allegedly her driving that caused the crash.

“Put simply, the Crown says that Sonya Wiffen’s driving was dangerous because she drove towards Sally Steers’ Ford over a distance of more than 100m and a period of almost five seconds at speeds of 80km/h or more, without doing anything in the control of her vehicle to avoid the impact,” he said.

Wiffen’s barrister, John Lawrence SC, told jurors that five seconds was “obviously going to sit at the centre of your considerations in this case”.

“Car accidents happen all the time,” he said.

“Sonya Wiffen may very well be responsible for causing this tragedy, which led to the death, unfortunately, of the deceased, but that doesn’t mean to say she’s guilty of this criminal charge which brings us to the Supreme Court almost two years later.”

Originally published as Humpty Doo crash driver Sonya Wiffen faces trial over local woman Sally Steers’ death