A woman died after the car she was a front seat passenger in drifted across the road and crashed head on into a transit van, an inquest heard.
Mair Roberts, 90, of Mynytho near Abersoch suffered multiple injuries in the accident which happened on the A499 at Y Ffôr, near Pwllheli in July 2016.
Mrs Roberts was travelling in a VW Polo car driven by her niece, Heulwen Mai Jones of Nefyn, and was returning from a hospital appointment at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor,
The court heard Mrs Roberts would have died almost instantly.
Mrs Jones was initially charged with causing death by dangerous driving but was cleared at Caernarfon Crown Court in January after medical experts said she may have suffered an epileptic fit.
At today’s inquest at Caernarfon Mrs Jones said she could remember driving along the A499 into Y Ffôr but had no recollection until after the collision.
Richard Davies, forensic collision investigator, said Mrs Jones, a care support worker, had worked a night shift the evening before the accident and had not gone to bed after work.
He estimated the speed of the Polo at impact was not less than 25mph.
Mr Davies said the rear seat passenger Deilwen Roberts - Mrs Roberts’ daughter - was not wearing a seat belt and fell asleep before the smash.
During the accident she was thrown forward and struck the back of the passenger seat.
“She may not have contributed to the cause of the collision but may have contributed to the injuries suffered by her mother,” the police officer added.
Witnesses said they saw the Polo driving at a speed below 30mph into the village and begin to veer across the road.
Elaine McAllister, who was driving behind the Polo, said she saw it veer to the right and first straddle the while lines and then travel into the opposite side of the road.
In a statement read out during the hearing she said: “It was very slowly done, it was as if the driver was not concentrating.
“I slowed as I expected the driver to realise what was happening and return to the correct side of the road.
“I saw no braking and it collided with the front of a van.”
Alan Fon Roberts, who was behind the wheel of the transit van, said he was heading towards Caernarfon when he saw the Polo approaching,
“I saw it come towards me and stopped but the Polo kept on coming and drove into me. There was not much speed but there was nothing I could do,” he said.
Philp Jones, vehicle examiner, said he found no defects in either vehicle.
North Wales senior coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones recorded a verdict of accidental death.
“It was entirely unanticipated and not foreseen and that is one of the definitions of an accident,” he said.
