A WOMAN trying to clamber out of a car which crashed after aquaplaning was struck and killed by a 40-tonne truck, an inquest heard.

Clare Laskey, 49, was in the car being driven by her 60 year old partner when the vehicle hit standing water on the A30 dual carriageway at Whiddon Down near Okehampton one night in October 2024.

An inquest held at Devon Coroner's Court yesterday, Monday, July 27, heard that Clare was trying to get out of the car which had rolled on to its roof when the truck struck the vehicle.

The lorry driver said it was raining heavily, windy and dark and there was no road lighting. He saw a man waving his arms by the side of the road but had no time to react in the one second before the collision.

The inquest heard there were no lights on the stricken silver Kia Ceed car which had flipped over on to its roof.

The car driver told witnesses at the scene that he had aquaplaned and lost control of the vehicle, which left the carriageway then rolled and came to rest in the inner lane of the A30.

The trucker's dashcam recorded the collision. Clare was still trying to get out of the car, while her partner had got out in time.

Clare, lived on The Lizard in Cornwall with her partner. He was not seriously hurt and discharged after hospital treatment.

The truck driver said he was “devastated by what happened” but could do nothing to avoid the collision with the car.

Clare's partner told the inquest he been driving to Bristol Airport to go on holiday and was doing 60mph when the car aquaplaned, veered off and rolled four times.

He said Clare said to him “I suppose we are not going on holiday” and he replied “just get out of the car” – but she did not get out in time.

Clare suffered two broken legs and ribs and other injuries in the impact with the truck. She died from chest and lower limb wounds.

Area coroner Alison Longhorn recorded a road traffic collision conclusion. She noted that Clare had not been able to extricate herself from her car when the collision happened.