A Chinese driver's lack of experience on New Zealand roads has been linked to the deaths of three people in an accident near Wanaka last December.
The van's wreckage was removed from the the intersection of State Highway 6 and Shortcut Road on Friday morning. Photo: RNZ / Steve Wilde
The Queenstown inquest into the deaths has also been told witnesses saw the vehicle making a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre before the crash.
The three people who died in the accident were all Chinese nationals, from Hong Kong.
Police evidence at the inquest indicated the driver, Wing Fai Chan, had limited experience driving in New Zealand and had only taken over driving the rental van 20 minutes before the crash.
The van pulled out in front of a truck and trailer unit, at an intersection near Wanaka airport, leaving the truck driver less than three seconds to avoid a collision.
The truck driver was not seriously hurt but three of the four people in the van were killed.
The inquest heard that alcohol and road conditions were not factors in the crash.
Witness evidence includes what was referred to as a dangerous overtaking manouvre by the van some time before the fatal collision.
