A CALL for improved visibility for cars pulling out from the Creech St Michael road onto the A38 Taunton to Bridgwater road has been made by the West Somerset Coroner.

Michael Rose is making the recommendation to Somerset County Council after hearing that a motorist who died after driving into the path of an oncoming transit van may not have been able to see clearly.

Speaking at today's inquest of Cecil Pengelly, Mr Rose said: “He may have been fooled by the shadow of a tree and also a white road sign. I will make a recommendation to Somerset County Council that they make the visibility there better – it isn’t good.”

Earlier the court heard that Mr Pengelly, 80, of Old Road, North Petherton, pulled out of the Langaller Crossroads junction in his Peugeot right in front of a van driven by Paul Allen, who was unable to avoid crashing into the car.

“As soon as I got to the junction I saw Mr Pengelly look at me and just pull out,” said Mr Allen.

“We made eye contact and I said, ‘What are you doing?’ It just happened so fast.”

The impact, on the morning of October 28 last year, ripped the driver’s door off Mr Pengelly’s car and threw him onto the carriageway as the vehicle spun round 360 degrees and came to rest on a grass verge.

A number of witnesses, including a doctor, stopped to help, but there was nothing they could do to save him.

Other motorists and police investigator PC Joseph Sample said there was insufficient time for Mr Allen to avoid the collision.

Mr Rose concluded that Mr Pengelly died in a road traffic collision of massive internal trauma injuries.