Jason Chapman was the guy who “would give the shirt off his back for anybody”.

The 51-year-old Canterbury truck driver was described by his employer as a “good and skilled driver”.

But Chapman had been battling heart disease and after his second heart attack in August 2023 he was stood down from commercial driving by his medical team. He never told his employer.

On November 13, 2025, Chapman crashed an empty logging truck into a hedge on State Highway 7, south of Culverden, after a heart event and died at the scene.

Associate Coroner Jennifer Smith has ruled Chapman died from ischaemic heart disease with a contribution from hypertension.

“Speed was not a factor in the crash. There was no evidence of yaw marks or brake marks on the road, suggesting that Jason was not in control of the vehicle as it travelled across the centreline into the hedge.

“Fortunately, there were no other road users injured in this crash.”

Smith said Chapman had a history of heart disease since 2018.

He had coronary artery bypass surgery at Christchurch Hospital followed by several angioplasty procedures with stent placement.

In October 2018 he passed his exercise tolerance test and was able to resume commercial driving.

After a heart attack in August 2023, Chapman was stood down again from driving. There was another attempt at angioplasty and Chapman had further bypass surgery in April 2024.

However, he continued to fail his exercise tolerance tests, the last in August 2024, and could not resume commercial driving.

Chapman’s GP and cardiologist provided reports to the coronial inquiry. The GP report confirmed their understanding Chapman had failed his most recent exercise tolerance test and was not able to drive under his commercial licence.

The cardiologist documented a discussion with Chapman in September 2024 after the failed exercise tolerance test and recorded Chapman’s disappointment at not being allowed to drive trucks.

“During a clinic visit in September 2024, [Jason] was clearly told by me, in person, that he was not able to resume driving commercial vehicles. I don’t remember the exact words of the conversation. However, I believe that he understood he would not be allowed to drive commercial vehicles, indefinitely,” the cardiologist report said.

Employer took Chapman’s word

The Associate Coroner said she was satisfied Chapman knew he should not be driving.

She questioned why he still held a full Class 1-5 NZ driver licence as well as a forklift and wheels endorsement.

Chapman’s employer told Smith he did not seek independent confirmation from medical specialists on Chapman’s ability to drive.

However, he did check the Transport Operator Register Online (TORO) system to confirm Chapman’s driver licence status.

The TORO system enables transport service licence holders, such as the employer in this case, to verify that only licensed drivers operate company vehicles and monitor licence status and activity.

TORO provides information on restrictions, endorsements, demerits and driver’s licence status and conditions.

In this case, the TORO check confirmed Chapman held a current Class 1-5 full licence with no conditions.

The employer said he believed any restriction would be reported if Chapman was not medically cleared to drive and that a TORO check would alert him.

Chapman was also subject to a random police check while driving the truck on September 2, 2025. Police found no issues with his logbook, loading or driving.

Associate Coroner recommends changes to the Land Transport Act

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi’s (NZTA) booklet Medical Aspects of Fitness to Drive: A Guide for Health Practitioners (“the Booklet”) states health practitioners must report a person if they are unfit to drive and are likely to continue driving despite advice not to do so. This reflected section 18 of the Land Transport Act 1998.

However, there is no general legal requirement for practitioners to report every medically unfit driver. The obligation only arises where a health practitioner believes the licence holder is “likely to continue to drive”.

Nor is there any legal obligation on licence holders to notify NZTA that they have been advised not to drive due to medical unfitness.

As a result, if a person accepts medical advice and gives no indication they intend to ignore it, neither NZTA nor police will necessarily be aware they have been deemed medically unfit to drive, and no restrictions will appear on their licence.

“That is what occurred here,” Smith said.

“Jason’s GP and cardiologist both knew he should not be driving, but neither had any reason to believe he intended to or had resumed commercial driving. Accordingly, they were under no obligation to report him.

“Thus, when Police stopped Jason on September 2, 2025, they had no way of knowing he was medically unfit to drive. Nor could his employer have ascertained that information when he checked the TORO system.

“I consider this to be an unsatisfactory state of affairs.”

The Associate Coroner recommended the Ministry of Transport consider changes to the Land Transport Act 1998 requiring health practitioners to mandatorily report to NZTA any patient deemed unfit to drive.

The ministry agreed the current system relied on a patient indicating they do not accept or intend to follow restrictions imposed by their health practitioner.

The ministry supported improving NZTA’s awareness of drivers medically unfit to drive for extended periods and advised it will consider the recommendation as part of its review of licence renewal requirements for drivers aged over 75.

NZTA acknowledged that Chapman was medically unfit to drive commercially when he resumed driving and expressed support for legislative change where this can be shown to improve road safety.

It advised it would assist the ministry with its review while considering potential implementation impacts.