Seven Killed In Cannabis Affected Driving

THE main cause of a crash that killed seven people in Victoria's northwest was the cannabis-affected driving of one of the motorists, a coroner has found.

Max Purdue was among the four adults and three children killed when the car he was driving smashed into a van on the Borung Highway, near Donald, on September 26, 2006.

Chief Magistrate Ian Gray said toxicological evidence showed Mr Purdue and a passenger, Dan Kelly, had been smoking cannabis before the smash.

"The principal cause of the collision was the cannabis drug-impaired driving of Maxwell Purdue," Mr Gray said.

But Mr Gray said the aspects of the road design, including signage, increased the risk of collisions at the intersection.

"This intersection was deceptive and dangerous," he said.

"I accept that the signs were appropriately positioned, but they did not, either separately or in combination, give explicitly clear warning to drivers that the intersection was dangerous."

Sphere: Related Content