An elderly bus passenger died after she was thrown from her seat when the driver braked suddenly, a court heard.

Greg Emmerson took five to seven seconds to react to a van indicating and slowing down in front of him, it was alleged.

Beatrice Meager, 86, shot out of her seat and hit a metal pole, fracturing some of her ribs. Her injuries led to complications and she died in hospital 15 days later.

Maidstone Crown Court was told the Arriva single decker was on route 414 on the A225 Hawley Road in Dartford in the early afternoon of September 19 last year when Emmerson, 26, failed to react quickly enough to a Citroen Relay van in front of him braking and turning right.

Prosecutor Martin Yale said the driver hit the brakes so hard he threw Mrs Meager and another passenger from their seats onto the floor.

Barry Pickthorn began indicating in his Greenwich Joinery works van as he was about to turn into an alleyway to his workshop on the other side of an underpass.

“However, Mr Emmerson didn’t initially notice and failed to react to the van,” Mr Yale told the jury of eight women and four men.

“Mr Pickthorn doesn’t think he braked particularly hard and can think of no reason why he had to brake particularly hard.”

CCTV footage from the bus showed that Emmerson did not brake for at least five to seven seconds after the first point at which Mr Pickthorn could be seen indicating.

Because of the slow frame rate in the footage it was not possible to be precise as to exactly when Mr Pickthorn began indicating.

“When he realised the van was slowing, he braked, and he braked hard - so hard that two passengers, including Beatrice Meager, were thrown from their seats,” said Mr Yale.

“Mr Emmerson described how he hit his head when he braked. No one on the bus was wearing seatbelts as this type of vehicle is exempt from seatbelt regulations.

“Initially, Beatrice Meager did not seem as seriously injured as she clearly was. She was helped up from the floor by another passenger and Mr Emmerson.

“She sustained fractures to her left ribs, which led to breathing difficulties, infections and other complications, from which she later died.

“When he realised the van was slowing, he braked, and he braked hard - so hard that two passengers, including Beatrice Meager, were thrown from their seats...” - prosecutor Martin Yale

“Such was the rapid nature of the braking that a car travelling behind made slight contact with the back of the bus. That contact, however, was not the cause of Beatrice Meager being thrown from her seat.”

Emmerson told police moments before the incident he checked his nearside mirror to see if there was any traffic behind him and when he looked ahead he saw the van brake sharply.

“He braked and stopped,” said Mr Yale. “As a result, he banged his head. He looked in his internal mirror and saw two passengers on the floor. He went to help.”

Emmerson said he knew the route well and described it as one of his favourites. He said he had not been in a hurry and was running on time.

It was a nice warm, sunny day. He was travelling a safe distance behind the van and there was no communication at the time on his two-way radio.

A crash investigator found that Emmerson was travelling a safe distance behind the van and would have had a clear, unobstructed view of it and its brake lights.

“It is the Crown’s case that had Mr Emmerson been driving with due care and attention he would have reacted much sooner to the van turning right,” said Mr Yale.

“Five to seven seconds is quite a period of time. Had he reacted sooner, he would not have had to brake so harshly and could have brought the bus to a halt without throwing anyone from their seat.”

“The Crown say you will be sure that his driving in failing to respond to the van turning right lacked the adequate care and attention, and his inadequate care and attention caused the death of Beatrice Meager.

Emmerson, of Freeman Road, Gravesend, denies causing death careless driving.

The trial continues.