Tas bus driver guilty over fatal crash

A Tasmanian bus driver, who fatally hit an off-duty Queensland policewoman as she crossed a busy Hobart road, has been found guilty of negligent driving causing her death.

Stephen Murray Hartstonge, 61, was driving the Metro bus that struck and killed Wendy Evans on the night of July 22, 2016.

Ms Evans was crossing Campbell Street towards the popular Grand Chancellor Hotel when she was hit by the bus as it turned right into Macquarie Street.

The court heard Ms Evans was struck by the bus's right-hand mirror and then run over.

She died on the road.

On Wednesday, magistrate Chris Webster found Hartstonge didn't keep a "proper lookout" for pedestrians.

The trial heard Ms Evans was wearing dark clothes and holding a shopping bag as she waited to cross the lights on a typically dark, drizzly Hobart evening.

"She was standing at a spot where a careful motorist should have been paying particular attention," Mr Webster said.

"The intersection was well-lit. There was a light immediately above Ms Evans.

"Negligence was the direct cause of the collision."

Mr Webster said CCTV from Hartstonge's bus showed she was visible as he approached the intersection and for the 30 seconds spent idle waiting for the lights to change.

The court earlier heard expert evidence from forensic mechanical expert Shane Richardson, who put together a 3D reconstruction of the incident.

He said beams of the bus and its right-hand mirror would have obscured Hartstonge's view of Ms Evans as he waited at the intersection.

CCTV showed Hartstonge looked to the right from the driver's seat, the court heard.

But Mr Webster noted a prudent motorist would have turned their upper body to make sure they had an unobscured view of the crossing.

Hartstonge is expected re-appear at Hobart Magistrates Court on March 19.