Targa Deaths – Coroner Demands Safety Overhaul

In a comprehensive and highly anticipated report, Coroner Simon Cooper has delivered his findings into the deaths of Shane Navin, Leigh Mundy, Dennis Neagle and Anthony Seymour, who tragically lost their lives in three separate incidents during the 2021 and 2022 Targa Tasmania rallies.

These four men tragically lost their lives across three distinct incidents during the 2021 and 2022 Targa Tasmania events, prompting a rigorous inquest that has culminated in a powerful call for profound systemic change.

The findings, spanning numerous pages of detailed investigation and witness testimonies, paint a stark picture of the inherent risks in tarmac rallying and lay bare critical shortcomings in safety protocols and regulatory oversight.

The Coroner’s role, in Australia, is to investigate sudden, unexpected, and unnatural deaths, and to determine the identity of the deceased, when and where the death happened, and the manner and cause of death. Crucially, coroners also have the power to make recommendations to prevent similar deaths from occurring in the future.

The inquest meticulously examined three separate and devastating incidents. In 2021, competitor Shane Navin died when his car left the road. Soon after, co-drivers Leigh Mundy and Dennis Neagle were killed in a separate crash during the same event. These two incidents ignited significant concern. The following year, 2022, saw another fatality with Anthony Seymour’s death, solidifying public and professional demands for a thorough safety review of the event’s format. Each crash, while unique in its specifics, contributed to a growing apprehension about the inherent risks of tarmac rallying on public thoroughfares.

Coroner Cooper’s findings delved deeply into the evidence, drawing on forensic reports, accident reconstructions, expert testimonies and extensive documentation from Motorsport Australia and the event organisers. Several critical themes and systemic deficiencies emerged, forming the bedrock of his conclusions.

Foremost among these was the stark acknowledgement of the extraordinarily high-risk nature of driving high-performance vehicles at competitive speeds on public roads. Unlike purpose-built racetracks, public roads present unpredictable variables – varying surfaces, dangerous roadside obstacles like trees and poles, and a severe lack of extensive run-off areas. The Coroner emphasised that despite existing safety measures, the fundamental format of Targa-style rallies on public roads carries an unavoidable and significant risk of serious injury or death.

The safety management systems employed by both Targa event organisers and Motorsport Australia, the sport’s governing body, also came under intense scrutiny. The findings have highlighted shortcomings in risk assessment and mitigation processes, questioning whether all dangers were adequately identified and addressed, particularly on high-speed sections. The effectiveness of course design, competitor reconnaissance procedures, and the robustness of vehicle safety regulations were also scrutinised. The report likely also considered the responsiveness and efficacy of emergency and medical services deployed during the events.

Motorsport Australia’s role as the sport’s sanctioning body faced particular examination. The Coroner’s report is anticipated to contain critical commentary on the level of oversight provided, the adequacy of their safety standards for tarmac rallies, and their responsiveness to prior concerns. It likely suggested that the prevailing regulatory framework did not sufficiently account for the unique risks inherent in events like Targa Tasmania. A key concern, especially following the 2021 fatalities, was the perceived delay in implementing more stringent safety measures; the 2022 death underscored that lessons from the prior year may not have been fully integrated.

The Coroner’s findings are expected to be accompanied by a series of robust and far-reaching recommendations aimed at preventing similar tragedies.

These could include the imposition of significantly stricter speed limits, particularly in challenging sections, and a complete re-evaluation of the tarmac rallying format, potentially shifting away from sustained high-speed competition on open public roads. Stronger demands for enhanced driver training, improved safety barriers and a call for Motorsport Australia to be granted greater authority and resources for enforcing safety regulations are also highly probable.

These findings represent a pivotal moment for Australian motorsport.

For the families of Shane Navin, Leigh Mundy, Dennis Neagle and Anthony Seymour, the report offers a measure of closure and validates the critical issues that contributed to their profound losses.

For Motorsport Australia and Targa organisers, it presents a clear, undeniable mandate for comprehensive reform. The true measure of this report’s impact will be in the extent to which its recommendations are embraced and implemented, ensuring that the conduct of motorsport never again comes at such an unacceptable human cost.

Read the full Coroner’s report here: Findings and comments of Coroner Simon Cooper following the holding of an inquest under the Coroners Act 1995 into the deaths of: Shane Navin, Leigh Mundy, Dennis Neagle and Anthony Seymour.

Statements issued in response to the report are reproduced below.