The tram came off the tracks on a sharp bend while travelling at almost four times the speed limit.
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The driver of a tram that overturned at Sandilands Junction, Croydon and killed seven was “over-tired and disorientated”, a coroner’s inquest has found.
The 2016 accident was the worst tram disaster in Britain for a century. Of the 69 passengers – 51 were injured and seven were killed.
The on-going coroner’s inquest has heard expert evidence that links driver fatigue to the crash.
Dr Mark Young told the jury at Croydon Town Hall that the driver, Alfred Dorris, likely had less than six hours of sleep.
What did the inquest find?
Mr Dorris’ lack of stimulation might have triggered a micro-sleep, whereby a person experiences a lack of awareness and disorientation – Dr Young explained.
Evidence taken from Mr Dorris’s phone showed he had downloaded a work document at 11pm – the night before his shift began at 4.53am.
In its original report on the crash, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch found that Mr Dorris likely lost control after slipping into this micro-sleep.
The stretch of track before the crash site was the longest section of “low workload” on London’s tram network.
The coroner’s inquest has found that Transport for London and Tram Operations Ltd. initially suppressed critical findings from reports on driver fatigue.
The inquest will continue until August.
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HeadlineCroydon tram crash inquest: driver was ‘over-tired and disorientated’, hears jury
Short HeadlineCroydon tram crash inquest: driver was 'over-tired'
StandfirstThe inquest into the 2016 crash that killed seven has found it is possible the driver fell into a 'micro-sleep' moments before the accident.
The driver of a tram that overturned at Sandilands Junction, Croydon and killed seven was “over-tired and disorientated”, a coroner’s inquest has found.
The 2016 accident was the worst tram disaster in Britain for a century. Of the 69 passengers – 51 were injured and seven were killed.
The on-going coroner’s inquest has heard expert evidence that links driver fatigue to the crash.
Dr Mark Young told the jury at Croydon Town Hall that the driver, Alfred Dorris, likely had less than six hours of sleep.
What did the inquest find?
Mr Dorris’ lack of stimulation might have triggered a micro-sleep, whereby a person experiences a lack of awareness and disorientation – Dr Young explained.
Evidence taken from Mr Dorris’s phone showed he had downloaded a work document at 11pm – the night before his shift began at 4.53am.
In its original report on the crash, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch found that Mr Dorris likely lost control after slipping into this micro-sleep.
The stretch of track before the crash site was the longest section of “low workload” on London’s tram network.
The coroner’s inquest has found that Transport for London and Tram Operations Ltd. initially suppressed critical findings from reports on driver fatigue.
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