CRASH DRIVER AFFECTED BY CANNABIS SAYS CORONER

A driver in a crash that killed three teenagers was "very likely" affected
by cannabis when he failed to check before making a u-turn, Taupo district
coroner Morna McFarlane has found.

Ms McFarlane issued her findings yesterday, after an inquest last week for
Graeme Bignell, aged 16, Natasha Jakschik, 15, and Sarah Anderson, 15.

The car they were in collided with a truck and trailer unit near Taupo on
March 30.

The Honda CRX, driven by Graeme, did a u-turn in front of a truck on
Broadlands Rd, The truck smashed into the car and pushed it down the road.

Ms McFarlane found that the driver had failed to check the road was clear
before making the u-turn.

An Institute of Environmental Science and Research report showed that
Graeme had smoked cannabis some time before the accident and Ms McFarlane
accepted it was very likely that he had been affected by the drug at the
time of the crash.

Ms McFarlane said the case highlighted two issues.

First, all drivers must make sure they have the best vision and maintain
it. This needed to be included in the Road Code and driver education
resources and campaigns.

Second, the potential danger of taking drugs and driving. She said drugs
reduced concentration.

Graeme had held a restricted driver's licence and should not have been
carrying passengers, but Ms McFarlane found that had no bearing on the
cause of the crash.