Published: December 2, 2008
Inquest into Burnham teenager's death highlights poor road markings

A coroner investigating the death of a Burnham-On-Sea teenager has called on council bosses to install additional safety measures at this dangerous road junction in Long Ashton, near Bristol where the 17-year-old died a year ago.

Avon deputy coroner Terrence Moore made the recommendations this week at an inquest into the death of Nathan Edwards, after the investigating police officer said the fatal crash could have been avoided.

Nathan, a talented tennis player, died on November 20th 2007 when a Peugeot 405 being driven by his mother, Sally Edwards, crashed into a Landrover at the junction of Longwood Lane with the busy B3128.

Mrs Edwards was taking Nathan and his friend Corey Nichols to the nearby David Lloyd Leisure Centre when the accident occurred. Corey survived the crash and is recovering from his injuries.

Mrs Edwards had used Longwood Lane for the first time on the night of the crash to avoid traffic queues and was not familiar with the area.

The inquest at Flax Bourton Coroners Court heard that white lines across the junction of Longwood Way and the B3128 had been erased and were hardly visible - as shown in Burnham-On-Sea.com's photo at the top of this page.

The junction was not lit and the only sign warning drivers to give way was eight metres before the junction and was partly obscured.

On the night of the crash it was raining heavily and as Mrs Edwards did not see the white lines or signs, she went across the junction and collided with the Landrover.

A post-mortem report revealed that Nathan had died of multiple head injuries and would have died instantaneously.

Mrs Edwards told the inquest: "I thought the road was clear and I failed to see any road markings on the road surface. I only realised I was at the junction when it was too late."

Crash investigator PC Peter Davey told the inquest that as a result of the road markings being worn away it would be easy for a driver to miss the junction. "There was no advance warning signs of the junction. The road markings were practically worn away and as a result, the junction was easy to miss," he said.

"Mrs Edwards was unfamiliar with the road and the weather was appalling. Had this junction been clearly marked and signed, then this collision may never have occurred."

The white give-way lines were repainted at the junction in April 2007 and again three days after the accident. The inquest was told how since January 2002 there had been four other accidents at the junction and a further two since Nathan's death.

Further improvements have now been carried out and a sign warning of the junction ahead has now been erected and 'slow' warnings painted on the road.

Mr Moore recorded an accidental verdict regarding Nathan's death and said he would be contacting North Somerset Council to suggest it looks at improving lighting and installing traffic lights.

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