A lorry driver who died when his wagon toppled over would probably have lived if he had been wearing his seat belt, an inquest heard.

Richard Passey was killed when he was thrown from his lorry as he tried to negotiate a roundabout on Rooley Lane, Bradford, opposite the Asda supermarket.

Yesterday's hearing was told Mr Passey, 38, who had been an HGV driver for more than 16 years, was going too fast and was crushed by the cab after he was flung out.

Collision investigator Anita Blow told the coroner Mr Passey's seat belt could have saved his life.

Miss Blow added that this was the fourth recent incident in West Yorkshire where relatively minor accidents have resulted in death or serious injuries because the drivers have not been wearing seat belts.

The inquest was also told Mr Passey, who lived in Sheerness, Kent, had removed the tachograph from his wagon and Coroner Roger Whittaker said other parties were investigating that side of the case.

He said: "Tachographs are there for everyone's benefit, not least the drivers, and complying with those regulations and periods of rest are there to save lives."

The court was told Mr Passey had set off from Kent at around 7pm on June 2 last year and was on his way to St James's Market in Bradford.

He had taken rest stops along the way but the tachograph chart had been removed when he got to Barnsley at around 3.40am.

Mr Passey was then seen by eyewitness Paul Noble coming down Rooley Lane towards Dudley Hill at about 5.15am. Mr Noble was behind the lorry and told the coroner it was "fair shifting" as it approached the roundabout.

Miss Blow put the speed at around 34mph as it lost control going round the bend and flipped over.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Whittaker called for the speed approaching the roundabout to be reduced from 40mph to 30mph but stressed that speed limits were a maximum speed, not a target.

He said: "I will be recommending that it be reduced to 30mph at the roundabout but speed limits are maximums and people must drive within the confines of the road and the vehicle they are driving."