The death of a 16-year-old front-seat passenger has prompted Northland's coroner to call for a campaign, targeted at young people, about the dangers of getting into cars with inexperienced drivers.
Coroner Brandt Shortland made the call following an inquest into the death of teenager Josef James Humphrey who died instantlywhen the car he was a passenger in collided with a 12-tonne stock truck on State Highway 14 near Maungatapere on January 10, 2010.
The driver of the Honda Civic was a Northland 16-year-old girl who was on a restricted licence and was breaching her conditions by having passengers in the car.
"In my view a media campaign that empowers young people to say 'no' to the enticement to get into a vehicle against their better judgment is required. It is the social pressure that persuades a teenager, often against their better judgment, to get into a car when they don't need to," Mr Shortland said in his written findings.
"This is a case that illustrates the absolute worst consequences that follow poor judgment made by teenagers when they choose to ignore the law, in particular conditions of the restricted licence."
He said New Zealand Transport Agency statistics showed teenagers between 15 and 19 were disproportionately involved in crashes, injuries and death in New Zealand. And those on a restricted licence were more than four times more likely to have a crash than a learner driver.
Mr Shortland said the crash also highlighted the tragic consequences of inexperienced drivers in the wet, as there had just been some light rain.
Travelling too fast for the conditions was the most common factor in crashes involving young drivers.
The teenage driver of the car lost control on the road near the intersection with Kara Rd, on the way to Whangarei, causing the car to slide sideways across the centre line into the path of the truck.
The front passenger seat where Josef was sitting took the full impact of the crash, which saw the truck go over the top of the car.
The impact destroyed the car which was thrown back into the centre of the road.
Immediately following the crash bystanders rushed to help those in the car. Emergency services were called.
A rear passenger miraculously made his way out of the car, while the seriously injured driver had to be cut free by firefighters.
The truck driver said he had no time to take evasive action and could only apply the brakes as hard as he could.
Mr Shortland found Josef Humphrey died from multiple injuries consistent with a motor vehicle accident.
