Inquest into the death of JM

17y · Male·Multiple injuries

A 17-year-old male died from multiple injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision on 18 April 2022. He was a passenger in a vehicle being pursued by NSW Police after the driver failed to stop for speeding. The vehicle crashed into a barrier on the Princes Highway, continued onto Rawson Avenue at high speed, then collided with a tree. The coroner found that the police officer's decision to initiate and terminate the pursuit was reasonable and consistent with NSW Police Safe Driving Policy. The driver of the vehicle was subsequently convicted of aggravated dangerous driving causing death; he had an expired licence, was highly intoxicated (BAC 0.207 g/100ml estimated), and was driving at approximately 190 km/h in a 50 km/h zone when the fatal collision occurred. This case highlights risks of high-speed pursuit situations and the importance of driver education regarding the dangers of impaired and dangerous driving.