The death of a man in Gore has been linked to the use of drugs as well as alcohol while driving.
Coroner David Crerar said Rodney Spiers, 41, died in the Catlins last September when he swerved his car on the road, possibly to try to run down a ferret.
The vehicle ended up stranded on a bank on the side of the road and the driver's neck was caught by the car door when it toppled as he tried to exit the vehicle.
Mr Crerar said Mr Spiers had an extremely high level of alcohol in his blood.
Tests showed he might have been using cannabis and opiates. These would have aggravated the effects of the alcohol.
Mr Crerar said Mr Spiers should not have been driving.
