A nanny died after accidentally swerving into the path of an oncoming lorry, an inquest heard.

Elizabeth Davis, 36, of Sandpiper Close, Heybridge, died of multiple injuries after she was involved in a three-vehicle crash on Maldon Road, in March, Chelmsford Coroners Court heard on Tuesday.

Mrs Davis, who was born in France and read French at Warwick University, was driving her Ford Fiesta in the direction of Danbury between Maldon and Woodham Mortimer on her way to the dentist when her car gradually swayed into the oncoming lane.

On trying to correct her steering, she lost control and collided with a white-and-green Scania tipper lorry which was travelling in the opposite direction.

PC Alan Barlow, of Essex Police’s forensic collision investigation unit, said: “We did a full mechanical exam on the Ford Fiesta that Mrs Davis was driving and we found that there were no mechanical defects with the vehicle.

“The question we all want answered is why the Ford travelled into the opposing lane but there is no evidence why that happened.

“It is possible that she moved into the other side of the roadway due to a moment of inattention or fatigue.”

Mrs Davis's dad, Richard Knellor, of Danbury, said at the inquest: “I am convinced it was a moment’s inattention and that’s why it happened.

“It could have been something at the window, it could have been a million different things, we just don’t know.”

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