George Holland, 19, insisted on driving despite having drunk 12 beers. He was killed in a collision with a truck.

A coroner is urging the Government to raise the drinking age to 20 after the death of a 19-year-old drink driver.

Blenheim butcher George Bernard Holland was killed in the early hours of August 6, 2017, when he failed to give way at a one-way bridge in Marlborough, colliding head-on with a heavy truck and trailer.

Holland, who that night drank about 12 cans of Double Brown while on a "boys weekend" in Murchison, also had MDMA (ecstasy) and cannabis in his system.

Coroner David Robinson said the crash could have been prevented if Holland adhered to the zero alcohol level for drivers under 20.

In his findings, released on Wednesday, the coroner referred to extensive research in recommending the Government return the minimum alcohol purchase age to 20 with no exceptions.

The alcohol purchase age was reduced in December 1999. One study, found "significantly" more alcohol-involved crashes amongst 15 to 19-year-olds in the four years following while a more recent study found the number of alcohol-related crashes in this age group increased from 102 in 2014 to 142 in 2017.

"There appears to be incontrovertible evidence of a direct link between the lowering of the alcohol purchasing age in 1999 and an increase in the incidence of injury and fatal accidents involving alcohol impaired drivers aged 15-19 years," the coroner said.

BOYS WEEKEND

The day before his death, Holland, who lived at home with his parents in Blenheim, travelled about two hours with seven of his mates to a property in Murchison.

Once off the main road Holland drank two beers before arriving at the house on Tutaki Valley Rd about 6pm. William van Asch, who travelled in Holland's car, said his friend drank a further 10 beers at the house before the group of eight decided to leave.

Emma Allen Marlborough 19-year-old George Holland, pictured in 2013, drank 12 cans of beer before he got behind the wheel of his car.

The plan was for van Asch's girlfriend and her friend to drive the group home in two cars, leaving Holland's car behind.

But Holland refused to leave his car and was determined to drive, his friends told police.

Van Asch and Holland argued and Van Asch opened the driver's door in an attempt to stop Holland, but couldn't.

The group eventually decided to travel in convoy with Holland at the rear. They intended to stop at Lake Rotoiti to see how he was going.

Van Asch said Holland was "a bit drunk at this stage, but not written-off".

As the group travelled towards St Arnaud, Holland overtook them at about 100kmh. When the group got to the agreed meeting place he was not there.

'AN EXPLOSION'

Leslie Kemp was about 50 metres away from the northern end of Marlborough's Wye River bridge when he noticed headlights coming towards him. It was 1.40am.

The bridge, which lies on State Highway 63 between Renwick and St Arnaud, gives vehicles approaching from the north right-of-way.

Kemp drove onto the bridge expecting the other driver to pull to the left at the give way sign.

But Holland didn't give way and drove onto the bridge and into the path of Kemp's truck.

STUFF The bridge, which lies on State Highway 63, between Renwick and St Arnaud, runs north to south, with vehicles approaching from the north granted right-of-way.

"[It] was like an explosion", Kemp told police.

The bonnet of his truck went up in flames and began to "lash up at the windscreen".

The front of Holland's prized Mitsubishi Triton ute was crushed and on fire. Soon van Asch and the rest of the group would arrive and discover their friend dead.

INCREASING THE DRINKING AGE

Blood samples showed Holland had 133 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit for adults is 50mg. For drivers under 20, the limit is zero.

While van Asch and the rest of the group were to be "commended" for their efforts to stop Holland from driving, the coroner said it was apparent the group had little knowledge of the effects of alcohol.

In his report, the coroner cited almost 20 research papers from New Zealand and overseas on the effects of alcohol on drivers.

"Ultimately, the safety of road users comes down to the decision-making of individuals. Mr Holland's death, and untold others like it, could have been prevented by individuals applying common sense."

In the absence of drivers applying common sense the coroner said it was "incumbent on the State" to further restrict access to alcohol.

"Regrettably the opportunity afforded by development of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 was missed and key measures known to reduce alcohol harm to those in Mr Holland's demographic did not form part of the legislation."

His request echoes the Law Commission's recommendation in 2010 to increase the drinking age.

STUFF The teenager died after failing to give way on a one-way bridge in Marlborough.

POLITICAL RESPONSE

Professor Doug Sellman, of Otago University's National Addiction Centre, urged the Government to listen to the coroner.

"Coroners are ideally placed to witness the damage that alcohol is inflicting on New Zealand as well as be in the position to make informed and authoritative public comment."

Sellman said increasing the age to 20 would have a significant impact on the "disconnected heavy drinking culture" amongst youth.

The coroner sent his draft recommendations to the Ministers of Transport, Police, Justice and Health.

Minister of Police Stuart Nash said the Sale and Supply Act was administered by the Ministry of Justice but his personal view was the age should be left at 18.

Justice Minister Andrew Little has not responded to requests for comment.

Transport Minister Phil Twyford said the matters raised were part of Acting Associate Minister of Transport James Shaw's responsibilities. No substantive response was received.

STUFF Police inspect the burnt-out truck involved in the fatal crash on the Wye River bridge, on State Highway 63.

Minister of Health Dr David Clark noted the coroner's comments.

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