AN elderly woman died when the car in which she was travelling crashed into the back of a stationary lorry, jurors heard.

The pensioner accused of causing her death claims he was blinded by the sun and didn’t realise the vehicle was there until it was too late.

However prosecutors say other motorists had managed to pass the seven-and-a-half tonne lorry safely.

Southampton Crown Court heard Wai May Chan, 70, was a front-seat passenger in a Honda Civic being driven by 83-year-old Arthur Chalmers, who lived in the same block of flats as her in Bassett Green Court, Southampton.

The accident happened by a bend on a hill in Winchester Road, Chilworth, just past the bridge spanning the M3 motorway at about 2pm on February 8. The lorry driver was being instructed how to do hill starts.

Kuldeep Ladher, who had been following Chalmers at about 40mph from the Asda roundabout, told police how the sun was blinding. He told the court that although he pulled his visor down, it was still shining into his eyes.

In a statement read to the court, he described how he had to “stretch up” so his head was close to the roof and he did not suffer from glare.

Slowing down to about 35mph, he saw the lorry – either stopped or slow moving – ahead of Chalmers’ car.

He said: “The blue car continued travelling towards the lorry.

I am almost certain no brake lights came on because if they did, I would have slowed down even more. I then saw the car collide with the rear driver’s side of the lorry. There was a lot of debris and smoke and then everything stopped.”

Mr Ladher added: “The front passenger side of the car had hit the lorry. It happened so quickly.”

Chalmers denies causing the pensioner’s death by driving without due care and attention.

Proceeding