The driver of the semi-trailer that ran over and killed a woman standing right in front of his cab would never have seen her or even known he had hit her, an experienced truck driver has revealed.
Leonia Picone, 55, was teaching her 17-year-old son to drive in Wetherill Park, western Sydney, at about 6.30am on Wednesday when a lorry reportedly crashed into her Ford Mondeo as the car veered off the main road.
Horror footage shows the moment Ms. Picone gets out of her car and stands in front of the 2015 Kenworth Prime Mover truck to get the driver’s attention.
Moments later, he accelerates and fatally hits her as her son watches the “freak accident” happen.
The driver, whose identity is not known, was questioned by police but subsequently released without charge.
Aaron Farquhar, who has driven semi-trailers for 13 years, told Daily Mail Australia that Ms Picone had inadvertently stood in the driver’s forward-facing blind spot.
“I can tell you now that he wouldn’t have seen her,” he said.
Veteran Aaron Farquhar with a truck says the driver could not have seen Ms. Picone directly in front of the cab
This image shows the blind spot areas for a driver of a Kenworth Cabover, where the engine is located under the cab
As a driver of heavy vehicles and knowing exactly what it is like to be behind the wheel of one of these vehicles, I can confidently say that this driver was not at fault.”
Truck driver Aaron Farquhar
“You have to understand that we are very high up and far from the dashboard.
“Someone standing in front of the truck is not seen and if we hit him you don’t even feel him because of all the vibrations and weight of the truck.
“I’ve seen small cars in front of me at traffic lights and I couldn’t even see them under my hood.
“The only reason I knew they were there was because at my company we have sensors on the front of our trucks that warn us if a collision is imminent.”
Mr Farquhar, who lives in the western Sydney suburb of Glenmore, said drivers without such sensors would have to take off their seatbelts, get up and press their faces against the glass to see what’s directly in front of the lorry.
“This was an absolutely freak accident and the driver will suffer immensely from the consequences of what happened.
“The woman was not informed about what and how trucks work and about our field of vision, and therefore she made a very fatal decision about this.
“As a driver of heavy vehicles and knowing exactly what it’s like to be behind the wheel of one of these vehicles, I can confidently say that this driver was not at fault.”
Mr Farquhar explained that the make of the truck involved was a Kenworth Cabover, meaning the cab is above the engine.
‘Imagine if he (the driver) were behind the dashboard, he wouldn’t see her there at all,’ Mr Farquhar said.
Mrs Picone (pictured) had taught her son, 17, how to drive in her Ford Mondeo
Leonia Picone, 55, is pictured standing in front of a truck just before she was hit and killed
This image from Monash University shows the large blind spot areas for a driver in a trailer
Road safety expert Jerome Carslake also thinks the driver was blind.
“The driver is high up, they are further up. And if you’re right in front of a truck, the driver can’t see you,” he told Seven’s Sunrise on Thursday.
“A lot of cars, people stop in front of the truck and think they can do it.”
After Mrs. Picone was hit, paramedics tried to resuscitate her, but she died on the spot.
The lorry driver, 51, was taken to Liverpool Hospital for mandatory drug and alcohol testing.
He was also questioned by police, but was released without charge.
“The driver has been released pending further investigation,” a NSW Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.
Ms Picone’s son was treated for shock but was otherwise unharmed.
“It’s absolutely appalling for the family,” said NSW Police Inspector Josh Dixon.
Friends and family went to the scene on Wednesday to pay tribute to the single mother following the tragedy
Leonia Picone (right) taught her 17-year-old son to drive at Wetherill Park
“The pedestrian was on the road trying to get the attention of the driver of that vehicle.”
Later on Wednesday, Ms Picone’s family gathered on site to pay tribute.
A crime scene has been set up and will be investigated by specialist agents from the Crash Investigation Unit.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.