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A CORONER has recorded a verdict of accidental death for 23-year-old Adam Birdsey, who was killed in a road crash while travelling with friends last year.

Adam, or Birdy as he was known by friends, was a passenger in a Mitsubishi campervan when it went through a stop sign at the junction of two roads on New Zealand's South Island on April 6 last year.

The campervan was being driven by school friend David McCallum, 23, of North Nibley, when it collided with a Toyota 4WD towing a boat.

Despite both vehicles travelling under the 100kmph (62.5mph) speed limit the crash created an inferno and 23-year-old Adam, of Cam, died instantly at the scene.

Under questioning from Gloucestershire coroner Alan Crickmore, Mr McCallum said he had not driven a campervan before the trip but had not found it a difficult vehicle to drive.

He also told the coroner that he had not used drugs or alcohol before driving that day and that there was nothing in the car distracting him.

He said the reason he had missed the stop sign was that he simply did not see it.

The two friends were on a once-in-a-lifetime trip when the crash happened and had been in Australia for three months before arriving in New Zealand.

The men were accompanied on their travels with fellow former Katharine Lady Berkeley's School pupils Ian Mills, 22, Dean Clark, 22, and Samuel Barber, 20.

The inquest heard that since the accident last year various measures had been taken to improve the junction with trees being trimmed or moved, median strips with an extra stop sign being installed on Jacksons Rd and the road widened.

Having examined photos of the scene Mr Crickmore said that, although the stop sign appeared obvious, Mr McCallum's mistake was understandable.

"The road and signage are clear but the appearance of this junction could be confusing to drivers using Jacksons Road such as Mr McCallum.

"The layout and the foliage could easily have misled him into thinking he was on a carriageway with no junction.

"He failed to realise the junction was there. He was certainly driving carelessly but not dangerously," he said.

The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.

3:38pm Thursday 8th May 2008

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