A CORONER has warned others could die if street lighting isn’t improved in the Poole road where a 74-year-old woman was killed in a car crash.

Beryl Fricker, 74, was hir by a grey Toyota Yaris at the junction of Lake Road and Upwey Avenue, Hamworthy, at around 4.35pm on Tuesday, November 20 2018.

She was rushed to hospital to be treated for a serious head injury.

However, despite the efforts of doctors, she died ten days later.

Now assistant coroner Brendan Allen has called on council officials to make the area safer – and says schoolchildren are among those at risk if work isn’t carried out.

He sent out a ‘report to prevent future deaths’ to BCP Council chief executive Graham Farrant after Mrs Fricker’s inquest.

“Mrs Fricker was a pedestrian in Lake Road, walking towards Blandford Road. It was dusk, and the street lamps were illuminated,” he said.

“Vehicles travelling along Lake Road had their headlights illuminated.

“As Mrs Fricker was crossing Upwey Avenue, she was struck by a Toyota Yaris turning right into Upwey Avenue from Lake Road. Bystanders commenced CPR and paramedics attended.”

After carrying out enquiries, Mr Allen said he believes there is a “risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken”.

“The driver of the Yaris explained that she didn’t see Mrs Fricker,” he said.

“She gave evidence that the street lighting at the junction is poor. In addition, I heard evidence from two further witnesses that the street lighting at the junction is poor.”

One of those to stop and give CPR was a Royal Marine medic returning home from work, Mr Allen said.

“Upwey Avenue is a wide junction, with the nearest street lamps some distance from the junction itself,” he said.

“As a consequence, the middle of the junction appears to be the least-well illuminated section.

“The surrounding area is residential and there are a number of local schools, including infant and secondary schools, so there is likely a significant number of pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.”

Mrs Fricker died as a consequence of a road traffic collision, the inquest found.