A CORONER has ruled the death of a New Forest biker killed when his bike was in collision with the car of a 93-year-old driver was an accident.

Southampton Coroner’s Court was told that elderly Alfred Ross should have seen Jeffrey Bennett’s white motorcycle when he pulled out of a junction on the A337 near Brockenhurst.

But as he pulled out of Sway Road on to the busy route close to the Filly Inn, Ross drove his green Rover head on into the path of Mr Bennett’s motorcycle.

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The court heard how witnesses had seen Ross’s car ‘jerking’ as it emerged from the junction.

Other drivers said they had been safely overtaken by 65-year-old Mr Bennett on his Honda motorcycle as he travelled north towards Lyndhurst.

Crash investigator Tony Johnson told the court that there was no evidence that either vehicle was speeding along the 50mph route. Mr Bennett would have been unable to avoid the crash.

“It’s unlikely the Honda rider could have the time or distance to avoid the collision,” he said.

Deputy Southampton coroner Gordon Denson told the court that Mr Bennett died as a result of multiple injuries after the crash in October last year. It appears Mr Ross pulled out in a jerking motion not under total control,” he said.

“There is no reason he (Mr Bennett) should not have been seen.

“Sadly as one might put it, it seems he was he was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he added.

Mr Bennett, of Stanley Road, Lymington, was on the first day of his retirement when he was killed instantly in the crash.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Denson said that the accident raised the question of whether “elderly drivers should consider giving up driving”.

“But this inquest is not the place to address this issue,” he said.

Ross, of Sandy Down, Boldre, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and in April this year was fined £3,750, ordered to pay £70 costs and banned from driving for five years.