A LORRY driver was blinded by the rising sun when he ran into and killed a pensioner, a court heard.
Paul Hollier, of Staple Hill, was adjusting the sun visor in his cab because he was dazzled by the early morning glare and never saw victim Ivor Greenslade, a court heard.
Mr Greenslade, aged 83, had suffered a blow-out as he drove from his home in Cornwall through Devon on the A30 to visit family in Wales.
He stopped his Peugeot car on the side of the dual carriageway, got out, and was standing by the boot when he was hit by the lorry, a jury at Exeter Crown Court was told yesterday.
The road was straight and Sainsbury's lorry driver Hollier had a third of a mile of clear visibility but ran straight into Mr Greenslade without braking.
The retired antiques dealer, who lived near St Ives, died in hospital the day after the accident near Whiddon Down in October 2010.
Hollier, 57, of Alexandra Gardens, denies causing death by careless driving. He told police he was blinded by the morning sun, the court heard.
David Gittins, prosecuting, said the tachograph on Hollier's lorry showed he maintained speeds of between 44 and 47 mph in the minutes before the accident. He said the offence of careless driving could be committed by a momentary lapse of concentration and did not require deliberate or sustained bad driving.
He said: "Mr Greenslade suffered a puncture and pulled over fairly sharply to the nearside and stopped close to the kerb. He got out and went to the back of the car. Why he did so will never be known. Maybe he intended to get the spare tyre out of the boot or moving to get across the barrier to safety. At that moment, at 8.19 am, Hollier was driving a large articulated Sainsbury's lorry and he drove straight into the back of the Peugeot, causing the car to spin round and causing Mr Greenslade serious injuries.
"At that time the sun was rising to the east and there is no doubt it was low. It was a bright, dry, clear day and it was posing a serious hazard to drivers. Some other drivers took action to compensate for the sun and for the reduced visibility. They had a reasonable view along this straight road despite the glare. A common theme is that they all slowed down and were all able to stop in time, except for the Sainsbury's lorry."
Mr Gittins said Hollier told his manager he had been dazzled and was adjusting his visor when he hit a broken-down car. He told police he was temporarily blinded, and did not see the car before the impact.
The case continues.
source: thisisbristol.co.uk
