Traffic collision report is criticised 9/4/14
The uncle of Lorna Macdonald who drowned in a loch after her car lost control in severe weather in November 2011 has criticised the police report into her death.
Ruairi Nicolson, a retired police officer with experience of 40 fatal traffic accidents, gave evidence to a fatal accident inquiry in Stornoway on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr Nicolson referred to a previous witness who told the inquiry police failed to have a constant guard at the accident site. The car was also completely removed from the scene.
He stressed it was “known standard practice to preserve the scene,” and the investigation flaws could result in “contamination and inaccuracies in measurements.”
He said the police report conclusions were influenced by information from people
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He examined the scene the day after she died and believed she could have lost control on a sheet of water flooding the road or taken action to avoid sheep on the carriageway.
Mr Nicolson disputed the investigation report findings of “probable excessive speed” because the actual cause could never be known.
He stated: “Lorna was a very safe and cautious driver-