The son of two people killed in a horror crash in south Taranaki has made an emotional plea for politicians to get tough on drug drivers.
A coroner's inquest into the head-on collision that killed seven people last year has today heard one of the drivers, Jeremy Thompson, was high on synthetic cannabis.
The sole survivor of the crash, Ani Nohinohi, admitted she and her partner had smoked drugs before getting behind the wheel with her two children in the car.
At the inquest in Whanganui, Ms Nohinohi, who lost her whanau cried as she said, "I'm sorry," to another family hit by the same tragedy.
Ms Nohinohi told the inquest she and partner Jeremy Thompson had smoked synthetic cannabis before hitting the road.
Asked was she completely aware of the state that Jeremy Thompson was in, she replied, "Well I was wasted myself."
She last remembers stopping off in Hawera for more synthetics and her daughter Nivek playing in the park, before waking up in Wellington Hospital.
On his way south, Thompson crossed the centre line, colliding with a car carrying four elderly people heading to New Plymouth.
Logan Porteous lost his parents and aunt. He came to the inquest looking for answers.
"Is there anything you would like to say to our family," he asked Ms Nohinohi.
"I'm sorry for how much it impacted your family, but it impacted on myself too," she replied.
“It does not make sense that the police are in a position where they cannot randomly drug test drivers on road
The crash happened near Waverley a year ago in June. At the time it was New Zealand's worst crash in a decade. Tragically there have been worse since. But what remains at the scene is the painful reminder of the sheer loss of life on that day - crosses, toys and flowers.
"I've never presided over an inquest where seven people have died in one horrendous crash," Coroner Tim Scott told the inquest.
The coroner is yet to reveal his findings, but Logan Porteous is hoping for political change.
He’s calling for urgent roadside drug testing and supports the petition presented to Parliament by Karen Dow, whose son was killed by a drug driver.
"We will as a family fight for this in the name of the innocent people who were killed in this accident as a result of a driver under the influence of drugs," Mr Porteous told 1 NEWS.
Last year 71 people were killed in crashes involving drugs, compared to 109 related to alcohol.
"It does not make sense that the police are in a position where they cannot randomly drug test drivers on road," Mr Porteous said.
Ms Nohinohi's godmother, Joy Clark, had her own message for those who witness drug use.
"More people than any of us realise use these drugs and drive under the influence of alcohol. And how many of us have actually stood up and stopped them?" she said.
There's hope that out of this tragedy could come some positive change.
SHARE ME