Fatal collision between truck and woman in wheelchair ruled accidental

Yukon's coroner hasdetermined that a fatal crash last winter involving a wheelchair and a truck was accidental.

Margaret Johnson, 71, died last Feb. 23when her wheelchair collided head on with a pickup truckin downtown Whitehorse.

• Woman killed in Second Avenue crash ID'd as Margaret Johnson

At the time, Johnson was driving her motorized wheelchair northbound on Second Avenue in the southbound vehicle lane.

Coroner Kirsten Macdonald says vehicle lanes are not intended for motorized wheelchairs. She also notes in her report that parts of the sidewalk along that section of road had not been cleared of snow and sand.

Macdonaldpoints out that Johnson's wheelchair had noreflective striping or flags, and Johnson was dressed in dark clothing. The accident happened in the evening,after dark.

Road conditions and the pickup truck's speedwere ruled out as factors in the accident.