A decaying 90-year-old gum tree was the subject of complaints to an Adelaide council for more than a decade before it dropped a branch on a car, killing the motorist, an inquest has been told.
Rebecca Jolly, 20, died after a 16-metre grey box gum tree dropped a seven-metre limb that crushed the roof of her car in January last year.
The branch rolled off, causing the moving car to veer across eastbound lanes in Adelaide's east, crashing into a fence and two unoccupied cars.
Ms Jolly died two days later in hospital from massive head and vertebrae injuries, and her death is being investigated by South Australian coroner Mark Johns.
Counsel assisting the coroner, Amanda Taylor, on Monday told the inquest the tree had been subject of numerous complaints to the Burnside local council dating back to 1998.
"The tree had caused problems for the residents for many years," she said.
Several residents requested inspections because of safety fears, and a report commissioned by the council recommended pruning.
The grey box gum, a `significant tree' under the development act, had dropped a limb six months earlier, prompting inspection and pruning by the council.
The council deemed no further action was necessary.
Ms Taylor said after the accident an independent arborist found the tree had extensive internal decay and termite infestation.
If it had been examined before the accident it would have been recommended for immediate removal as "failure was predictable", Ms Taylor said.
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