DRIVER HAD SMOKED JOINT

The 16-year-old driver who turned his car in front of a truck killing
himself and two friends near Taupo had smoked cannabis before the crash.

Today the mother of 15-year-old Natasha Jakschik-Crosby, who was killed in
the crash on March 30, called for better education about driving under the
influence of drugs.

Dianne Jakschik-Crosby said younger drivers were regularly reminded about
the dangers of driving after drinking, but there was little education about
the dangers of driving after consuming other drugs.

"I am wondering whether it should be an issue for them when they take
written and practical tests for their driver's licence," she said.

"We need to get them to understand it could affect their mental ability."

Taupo District Coroner Morna McFarlane has found that the driver of the
car, Graeme Bignell, had smoked a joint before the crash, and "it is very
likely he was affected by the drug at the time of his death".

She said a drug affecting the brain was very relevant in a crash caused by
a driver's misjudgment.

Ms McFarlane said the crash showed "the potential danger of taking any
drugs and then driving, because they reduce powers of concentration".

Scientific analysis showed Graeme Bignell had enough THC in his blood to
indicate he would have smoked one joint three to four hours before the crash.

At last week's inquest, Ms McFarlane called for better testing for drugs on
drivers.

However, she said drug tests were too imprecise for a stricter laws to be
brought in.

On the night of the crash the four teenagers were on their way to the
Fletcher River Reserve near Taupo, but had missed the turnoff, so Graeme
Bignell pulled over to do a u-turn on Broadlands Rd, about 8kms northeast
of Taupo. As he turned the car across the centre line, a northbound truck
slammed into the driver's side of the car.

Graeme Bignell and Natasha Jakschik died instantly. Sarah Anderson, 15,
died after being taken to hospital. Patrick Glynn, 16, survived the crash.

At the time, police said neither alcohol nor speed was a factor. Ms
McFarlane said the fact that Graeme Bignell held only a restricted licence,
and should not have been carrying passengers, was not a cause of the crash.

However, if he had not broken the law and carried passengers, there would
have only been one death and not three.

If he had an experienced driver with him at the time, he may have paused
before pulling out, she said.

But adult drivers also made mistakes, and it was not known what happened in
the car just before the crash, she said.

There was some comment that Graeme Bignell had not signalled before pulling
out, but even if he had, the truck driver would not have been able to stop
or avoid the car, said Ms McFarlane.