A Coroner says the death of a baby struck by a trailer is a terrible reminder to closely watch children when moving vehicles.
Ten-month-old Dylan Harre died from head injuries after being hit by a trailer at a farm in Whangamomona, Taranaki, in April 2012.
In his ruling, Coroner Tim Scott said the driver believed the baby was inside the house and the death was a complete tragedy.
Mr Scott said the circumstances were unusual in that almost all driveway deaths are from vehicles reversing into an unseen infant. In this case, the vehicle towing the trailer was moving forward.
He said the accident could have been avoided if the driver had fully checked around the vehicle and trailer before driving off, or if the baby was closely supervised at all times.
