Load death costs driver £400
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• A lorry driver whose insecure load killed a pedestrian has been fined £400 and received three penalty points after pleading guilty at Hull Magistrates Court.
Clerical worker Denise Higgins was killed instantly when a bulldozer toppled from the lorry after it braked suddenly when traffic lights changed on Hedon Road, Hull on 4 August last year.
Armstrong's employer, GCS Johnson, of Richmond, North Yorkshire will appear at Hull Magistrates on 14 September charged with operating a vehicle with defective brakes and an insecure load. The court heard how driver Robin Armstrong, of Witton Park Farm, Bishop Auckland, picked up the bulldozer at Hull Docks, but had no formal training in securing loads.
Prosecuting, Bill Thorpe said the 40,000kg bulldozer was driven on to the trailer and secured by four chains and tensions. It was also chocked under the wheels.
But forensic experts later discovered that the chains had bent links and damaged shackles and other securing equipment had been worn or was broken.