An inquest has commenced to investigate whether a teenager with autism, ADHD, and Tourette’s syndrome was fit to drive at the time of a fatal crash that killed three family members in South Australia’s south-east. The tragic incident occurred on the Princes Highway at Suttontown in November 2020, resulting in the deaths of Ned Walker, 80, Nan Walker, 70, and their daughter Sue Skeer, 55.
The teenager, who was 16 at the time of the crash and cannot be named due to his age, was later found guilty of careless driving but not guilty of the more serious charge of causing death by dangerous driving. The Coroner, Naomi Kereru, is now leading the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deaths and whether the teenager was fit to hold a learner’s permit when the collision occurred.
Counsel assisting the coroner, Martin Kirby, opened the inquest by highlighting the need to assess the teenager’s fitness to drive and whether his medical conditions were properly considered during the licensing process. The boy’s learner’s permit application had answered “no” to the question about medical conditions, despite the teenager’s diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and Tourette’s syndrome.
The teenager’s mother testified that neither she nor her son believed his medical conditions impacted his ability to drive. She described him as an “extremely good driver” who had passed his theory test with ease and was knowledgeable about road rules. However, Mr. Kirby revealed that the teenager had stopped taking ADHD medication six months before the crash, a fact not shared with his doctor. The inquest will further explore how his neurological conditions, and the discontinuation of his medication, may have impacted his ability to function behind the wheel.
Since the crash, the teenager has begun taking anti-depressants due to the depression he developed in the aftermath of the incident but has not resumed his ADHD medication. His mother explained that she had taken him off the medication after noticing signs of aggression.
Family members of the victims expressed shock upon learning of the teenager’s medical conditions and questioned whether he should have been licensed to drive. They argued that, despite the claims of his driving competency, his disability should have been a significant factor in the licensing decision.
The inquest is scheduled to continue until Thursday, with further evidence expected to be heard regarding the teenager’s fitness to drive at the time of the fatal collision.
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