Coroner calls for mandatory reporting of drivers deemed unfit long term
A New Zealand coroner has recommended mandatory reporting of drivers deemed medically unfit for long-term driving following a fatal truck accident. The recommendation aims to close gaps in the current driver monitoring system.
Why it matters
This highlights a regulatory failure in transport safety where medical privacy and employer oversight currently lack a mandatory reporting bridge.
A coroner has called for mandatory reporting of people found unfit to drive for extended periods.
Associate Coroner Jennifer Smith, in findings released on Saturday, said health practitioners should advise the Transport Agency if someone was unfit to drive long-term.
It followed the November 2025 death of Jason Chapman.
The 51-year-old was found unresponsive in the cab of his truck and trailer unit after it veered off the road and into a hedge near Culverden.
Coroner Smith said a postmortem found Chapman died of heart disease.
He had suffered heart attacks previously.
Chapman was a truck driver with the same employer for many years and was previously restricted from driving due to his health.
He had another heart attack in August 2023 and was stood down from driving but continued with his employer doing yard work.
Chapman returned to driving in March 2025.
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