Police ScotlandA sheriff has called for the UK Government to take action after a nursery school teacher who “loved life” was killed by a lorry.
Chloe Morrison died after being struck by an outrigger – part of a crane mounted on a lorry – while walking on a footpath near Drumnadrochit with her mum in October 2019.
The 26-year-old suffered severe head, chest, abdomen and pelvis injuries after being thrown along the pavement and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Lorry driver John O’Donnell was sentenced to a Community Payback Order in 2022, requiring him to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
He was also disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for a period of 12 months.
An inquiry into Chloe’s death heard that she was a nursery teacher at Holm Primary School in Inverness who “loved life and enjoyed spending time with friends and family”.
Before her death, she enjoyed walking and driving to visit various beaches, her favourite being Achmelvich. Her family said they continue to feel “great sadness” following her passing.
The inquiry heard that Mr O’Donnell had no training on how to operate lorry loaders and that using them was not part of his employment with Glenevin Limited.
He was also not given any information or instructions on how to check that the outriggers were safely stowed ahead of any journeys.
On the day of the incident, the lorry driver had been told not to operate the loader but to ask colleagues for the unloading operation when he reached his destination.
However, the outriggers became unlocked at some point in Mr O’Donnell’s journey and were not locked safely before he took off.
Following the incident, checks of the lorry and outriggers found that they were not defective or faulty and that the outrigger’s extended position was due to human intervention.
Sheriff Cruickshank made four recommendations, including calling on the UK Government and the secretary of state for transport to introduce a law requiring all LGVs and HGVs fitted with outriggers to be fitted with an audible and visible warning system or immobiliser to warn that the outriggers are not secure or safely stowed.
He also urged that the requirement should apply to all LGVs and HGVs with outriggers, regardless of their year of manufacture or installation.
He recommended that operators of LGVs or HGVs with outriggers be trained to ensure that they are safely stowed before any journeys and that drivers record their daily walk-around.
It was said that the recommendations “might realistically prevent other deaths occurring in similar circumstances”.
Sheriff Cruickshank concluded: “I also wish to record my condolences to all who have been affected by the sad loss of Chloe Morrison.
“She was a young lady who loved her job and loved life. The circumstances surrounding Chloe’s death are
unbelievably tragic. The loss to her family is immeasurable.”
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