Truck driver died in tragic accident after not wearing seatbelt due to hernia pain

A truck driver carting thousands of chickens died when he was ejected from the vehicle in a tragic accident on a Tasmanian highway.

A TRUCK driver who died in a rollover near Eaglehawk Neck while on an early morning chicken run was not wearing his seatbelt at the time, a coroner has found.

On Tuesday, Coroner Robert Webster handed down his findings into the May 2020 death of Gary Wayne Walker, who died after he was ejected from the prime mover’s cab and became trapped under the trailer.

Mr Webster said it was likely Mr Walker, 42, wasn’t wearing his seatbelt due to pain caused by a hernia.

The coroner said he was working with freight and transport company BE and CF Morey when the accident occurred at 5.15am on May 4, on the Arthur Highway between Murdunna and Eaglehawk Neck.

The “well loved and respected” Sorell resident was suffering two hernias at the time of his death – one he was about to undergo surgery for, and another due for review that caused him pain while sitting in the truck.

He was conducting a “chook run” – starting early by travelling to Nubeena to pick up chickens and delivering them to Inghams at Sorell – when the accident happened.

Mr Walker, with his father as a passenger, collected 6264 chickens from the Nubeena chicken farm, a load weighing just under 14,000kg in total.

The scene of the accident on the Arthur Highway. Picture: 7 TASMANIA

His father later told the coroner his son was negotiating a right-hand curve when his son started to when an oncoming vehicle approached, causing Mr Walker to steer further left.

He said he felt the trailer enter the gravel verge and begin to tip, telling his son “I think we’re going over”.

“Gary tried hard to maintain control but as soon as the trailer went over the truck went with it,” he said.

Investigators determined that Mr Walker had been ejected from the cab through the front windscreen and became trapped and compressed under the overturned trailer, dying from asphyxia.

Senior Constable Hall said Mr Walker had swerved as a reaction to the oncoming vehicle’s headlights.

Mr Webster said if Mr Walker had been wearing his seatbelt, he likely would not have been propelled through the windscreen, become trapped and died.

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