Widow of South Eastern Freeway crash victim speaks out as inquest concludes

The widow of a man killed in a horrific crash at the bottom of the South Eastern Freeway says she is relieved court proceedings are finally over but does not believe the stretch of road is safe enough.

Thomas Spiess, 56, was killed in 2014 after an out-of-control sewage truck collided with his vehicle.

The truck reached speeds of 151.9km/h before ploughing into the busy intersection.

Jacqueline Byrne, 41 was also killed in the crash, and then-Cleanaway truck driver Darren Hicks and motorist Louise Compton were injured.

Mr Hicks — who lost a leg in the crash and went on to become a Paralympic gold medallist — was initially charged over the crash, but the charges were dropped in 2018 and he later gave evidence against Cleanaway.

Speaking exclusively to the ABC, Jan Spiess said she had not even been able to access a death certificate for her late husband while proceedings were afoot.

"The legal system has dragged it out too long, that's been a disappointment," she said.

Ms Spiess said despite safety improvements to the intersection, she believed it was still a very dangerous stretch of road.

"When you're sitting at that intersection at a light or you're driving through it and passing through it, look up," she said.

She said she suffered PTSD as a result of the crash and the way she learned of her husband's death.

In findings handed down on Friday, South Australian Coroner David Whittle made no further recommendations in the inquest into the deaths of Mr Spiess and Ms Byrne but acknowledged the trauma Mrs Spiess experienced.

"Mrs Spiess provided a statement in which she described the traumatising effect of watching live-broadcast news footage of the collision site, in which she could see her husband's car and him being placed on a stretcher, and being unable to obtain information from SA Police when she rang to ask as to his welfare," Mr Whittle wrote.

"It was only later that she was formally advised by police that her husband had died."

Ms Spiess recounted going into shock and the long-lasting impact of the media attention garnered by the case.

She said Mr Spiess's death and the lengthy court proceedings had also greatly impacted her two daughters.

Safety changes implemented

After preliminary findings were handed down in 2014, a speed limit of 60 kilometres per hour for trucks travelling on the downhill track of the freeway was implemented and signage indicating that trucks and buses must use low gear was installed.

In his findings, Mr Whittle said the preliminary recommendations made by Deputy State Coroner Schapel in 2014 prior to criminal proceedings commencing were "broad and comprehensive" and had all been accepted and implemented by the government.

"Twelve years have passed since there were multiple deaths on this portion of the Freeway in short succession, without continuation of that pattern," the findings read.

"In short, the improvements made to the Freeway have resulted in a much safer situation than that which presented itself at the time of these deaths."

The coroner considered that other improvements under consideration would likely further improve safety if implemented.

"While road fatalities will never be entirely eliminated, it appears that there are no longer readily remediable systemic safety issues with the particular portion of the Freeway under consideration here," the findings concluded.

In May, national waste management company Cleanaway was ordered to pay a $1.1 million fine for workplace failures that led to the double fatal crash.

The penalty was the largest ever imposed under federal work health and safety laws.

Mr Whittle extended his condolences to the families for their "tragic losses" and acknowledged the lasting impact suffered by Ms Spiess.