'Sudden' death of SA woman from falling tree branch preventable, coroner finds - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Judith Ditter died when a large tree branch fell onto the car she was driving in Stirling. (ABC News)

A coroner has found "different actions" could have prevented a tree limb from falling and killing a woman in the Adelaide Hills.

Judith Anne Ditter died in November 2020 when she was travelling in a car along Mount Barker Road in Stirling.

Recommendations have been made to the Local Government Association of SA, the Minister for Planning and the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.

The "sudden" and "shocking" death of a South Australian school teacher, who was killed by a falling tree branch on an Adelaide Hills road, could have been prevented, a coroner has found.

Judith Anne Ditter, 59, died in November 2020 when she, her daughter and two other passengers were travelling along Mount Barker Road in Stirling, and a heavy branch from a property fell on the moving vehicle.

Mrs Ditter's daughter also sustained serious injuries.

In his published findings handed down today, Acting Deputy State Coroner, Judge Ian White, said he was "satisfied" that "different actions" could have prevented the "limb failure which took Mrs Ditter's life".

"[An arborist who assessed the tree after Mrs Ditter's death] said that if he had assessed the tree the day before it fell, there would have been indicators that it presented a risk, including the sounds of an extensive hollow, bark patterns and discolouration."

An arborist found defects to the tree which had a large branch that fell on Judith Ditter's car. (ABC News)

Judge White said opportunities arose in 2010 and 2012 to prevent the limb failure when the Adelaide Hills Council was assessing development proposals on the property where the relevant tree was located.

"At those times, the council could have required the applicants to obtain arborists' assessments in relation to all regulated and significant trees, especially when the proposed works were going to be conducted in the immediate vicinity of those trees," he said.

"If that were to have been required, I am satisfied that the defect would have been found and that remedial action would have prevented the eventual limb failure. That is, the limb would have been removed prior to it falling naturally.

"It is for this reason that I consider it worthwhile exploring improvements that can be made to development applications to identify safety issues with large trees."

The inquest previously heard evidence from Kerrie Hayes — the woman who owned the property in which the tree was situated — who said she had sought advice from arborist Tom Fleming to assess the trees on the property after purchasing it in December 2019.

She said Mr Fleming had recommended at the time that the significant tree should be pruned back "within a 12 — no longer than 18-month — time frame".

Acting Deputy State Coroner Ian White said he was satisfied that different actions could have prevented Mrs Ditter’s death. (ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)

Ms Hayes also told the inquest that the relevant tree, as well as several others, had been removed after Mrs Ditter's death.

In his findings, Judge White said he was satisfied that if "Ms Hayes had proceeded immediately with the removal of the tree, or within the time frame specified by Mr Fleming, Mrs Ditter would likely not have been killed".

He added that the tree defect "could have been detected and addressed" if agencies, who had previously conducted work in the vicinity of the tree, had an "obligation to notify the council of the fact that they had conducted potentially tree-damaging work".

Judge White added that, at the time, "there was no such requirement and there was no such resourcing to deal with such notifications".

Judge White made a total of seven recommendations — four of which were directed to the Local Government Association of South Australia (LGA), two to the Minister for Planning and one to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.

Of those recommendations, Judge White recommended councils employ arborists in their planning department to ensure consideration is given to "whether proposed developments might create safety issues with nearby significant trees".

He also recommended that the LGA "undertake steps to improve public awareness of the responsibilities of home owners with regard to ensuring significant trees do not pose safety issues".

Judge White also recommended that the state government introduce a legislative requirement that a notification be made to the LGA "with an indication as to whether any damage is thought to have occurred" or if "there is likely a safety issue arising as a result of … works" conducted by a government agency near any significant tree.

A spokesperson for LGA South Australia said they will "carefully" consider the recommendations before consulting with member councils.

A state government spokesperson said they had received the report and "will take time to consider the recommendations and will respond in due course".

At the conclusion of his findings, Judge White extended his condolences to Mrs Ditter's family.

"Mrs Ditter's death was sudden, shocking and involved terribly unfortunate timing," he said.

"There was nothing that Mrs Ditter could have done herself to predict or prevent it.

"Losing her in this way no doubt created a particularly heavy loss for her family, friends and no doubt many former students."