High-risk youth culture blamed for trio's deaths

A crash that claimed the lives of three teenagers has a grieving family warning such tragedies are inevitable in New Zealand's high-risk youth culture.

Nelson father Robert Rangiuia celebrated his son Jordan's 18th birthday last week and buried him this week.

Over the past two days, Mr Rangiuia has attended the funerals of his son's two friends, Daniel Johnson, 17, and Jonny Williams, 17.

The three teenagers died when the car they were in crashed early last Sunday, opposite the Nelson cemetery where Jordan is now buried. A fourth teenager, Nick Kumagai, is still recovering from his injuries.

Police say speed and inexperience were factors in the accident, but Mr Rangiuia said the teens were not boy- racer types. He had seen other families go through similar tragedies, but never thought it would happen to his own.

Mr Rangiuia wished he had some answer to the disturbing death toll of teenagers on the roads.

"I think it's inevitable - it's something we can't stop. It doesn't matter what happens," he said.

"Something really drastic really has got to be done, whether it be by the Government (or) parents or some sort of education system.

"But I think it's just going to be inevitable that it's going to carry on."

Mr Rangiuia said his son and his friends enjoyed socialising and a few drinks like most teenagers.

"They were just going out for a good time. But look what a good time got them."

Jordan had just recently moved out of his parents' home into a flat with Daniel, but he and his mates often ended up back home.

"They were bloody good kids. They all used to come around here and raid my cupboards and my fridge. I told their parents if they couldn't find anywhere else to sleep they could all crash around here, and about 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning all you could hear was crashing of frypans and fridge doors."

While Jordan liked a good time, he was also a successful chef and an achiever in other fields. He had recently taken up body-building.

"As far as protein food goes, he was strictly a porkbone and potato boy."

On the same weekend the three teens were killed, two other motorists also died in separate crashes in the top of the South Island where police pursuits were involved.

Tasman area road policing manager Inspector Hugh Flower said all of the deaths were totally unnecessary.

"It's frustrating for us. It doesn't have to happen. Our front-line staff are the ones that have to go along and clean it all up," he said.