Kyle Shepherd: Coroner demands review after Lockwood man killed on Bendigo road

Pedestrian safety is being reviewed across the state after a video game designer was horrifically mowed down by a driver on a rural road near Bendigo.

Lockwood man Kyle James Shepherd, 31, died after being hit by a ute while walking on Nevinson Rd, 17km west of Bendigo, on Tuesday July 7 last year. Picture: Twitter

Pedestrian safety is being reviewed across the state after a Lockwood man was horrifically killed on a rural road 17km west of Bendigo.

The last words Kyle James Shepherd, 31, said to his father Ronald was “it will be right” before he set off on the walk he never returned from on Tuesday July 7 at 5.40pm.

Less than an hour later the video game designer was hit and killed by a driver on Nevinson Road.

Now the Coroner’s report into his death is calling on the City of Greater Bendigo and the Victorian Government to act before there is another death on a rural road.

Thirteen of the 30 pedestrian fatalities in Victoria last year were in regional areas — one of which was Kyle.

On the night of his death, Kyle and his dad had returned home from a family trip to Kangaroo Flat.

When they got to the front gate Kyle got out and said he was going for a walk.

But Ronald told his son it was late and too dark.

“No, it will be right,” Kyle said.

The 31-year-old put on his headphones and left.

He was later struck and killed by a man driving his ute and towing trailer north along the same road.

The report described the track as a two-way, unmarked, unsealed road, where cars could narrowly pass each other in the 100km/h zone.

Lockwood man Kyle James Shepherd, 31, died after being hit by a ute while walking along Nevinson Rd, 17km west of Bendigo, on Tuesday July 7 2020. Picture: Google Earth

Farmland surrounded the recently graded road, with uneven and rough grass forcing pedestrians onto the gravel.

By the time Kyle started walking the sun had set, and the only artificial lights were from distant homes and passing cars.

The driver who struck him dipped his high beams and slowed to 60km/h as both drivers edged to the side of the road so they could pass each other.

The report said that is when Kyle “popped up” out of nowhere and was hit.

Emergency services were called but it was too late, the 31-year-old was declared dead at 6.30pm from head and neck injuries.

Coroner Caitlin English said Mr Shepard’s dark clothing made him barely visible while the headphones he was wearing meant he was essentially deaf to approaching traffic.

Ms English said the 31-year-old Lockwood man’s death highlighted a fatal gap within the state’s pedestrian safety campaigns.

“Campaigns directed at improving pedestrian safety in rural areas appear to be lacking,” Ms English said.

“This is despite the recent comparable number of pedestrian fatalities in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.”

Major Collision Investigation Unit Detective Sergeant Robert Hay said it was unlikely the driver could have avoided Kyle, given the limited visibility.

“He was always hard to see as he always had dark clothing on,” one witness told the coroner.

“I feared he wasn’t giving himself a chance to be seen and being hit by a car would be a possibility.”

“This male’s road sense was not the best because I had seen him walk in the middle of the road and he would not see or hear you until you were right up near him,” another witness said.

A Department of Transport spokeswoman said it would consider the coroner’s recommendations to develop an education campaign targeted to rural pedestrians.

City of Greater Bendigo presentation and assets director Brian Westly said council would push for the Victorian Government to pursue an education campaign targeted at pedestrian safety in rural and regional areas.

“Following this tragic accident, we feel there is an obligation to further explore opportunities to improve safety on gravel roads,” Mr Westly said.

“The city will also write to the Department of Transport, Transport Accident Commission and Minister (Jacinta) Allan seeking the State Government investigate lower default speed limits on unsealed gravel roads.”