At an inquest in Dunedin yesterday, Otago-Southland coroner David Crerar found the 48-year-old midwife died after falling asleep at the wheel of her car and crashing, 400m from her Woodside home, on the Taieri Plain, in April last year.
Family and friends present in the court sobbed as Constable Jared Kirk read his statement.
Police found she was driving in Otokia Rd about 8am, when her car drifted across the centre line, off the road and into trees.
Mr Crerar said she suffered "immediately fatal" head and abdominal injuries.
Her death was a tragedy, especially as the family would have been "on a real high after the achievements of Adam".
The combination of shift work, recent overseas travel, public attention following her son's success, and the demands of being a mother and wife, all played a part in her fatigue.
"Burning a candle at both ends takes on a whole new meaning.
"I think all of those efforts, while extraordinary and to be applauded, were just too much in those circumstances," he said.
However, her death would have been "more tragic if we learn nothing from it".
"There is a lesson for us all ... as soon as you feel yourself going to sleep, stop, take a break, and consider how you can get yourself to your destination safely."
Mr Crerar had presided over at least three inquests since the beginning of last year in which he found drivers falling asleep at the wheel and losing control of their vehicle as leading to a death.
He was also concerned about airbags in Mrs Hall's car not being able to deploy a second time, to shield her from a second major impact during the crash.
While such crashes were rare, the NZ Transport Agency would be informed of his findings to advise of the benefit of airbags deploying more than once.
