Teen driver loses control on pothole-riddled road, car flips into River Nene, killing two
Two teenagers died after an 18-year-old driver lost control on a pothole-filled road, causing his Volkswagen Polo to roll into the River Nene; three others escaped with minor injuries.
An inquest revealed that on March 17 an 18-year-old driver, Declan Berry, was travelling at roughly 90 mph on a 60 mph road riddled with potholes near Wisbech St Mary, Cambridgeshire. Hitting a pothole caused the blue Volkswagen Polo to lose control, roll over and sink into the River Nene, fully submerging the vehicle. The accident claimed the lives of Berry and 16-year-old Eden Bunn from Sutton Bridge; three other teenagers - two 16-year-old girls and an 18-year-old man - escaped with minor injuries.
A later search by police and fire services recovered Berry’s body on March 31. The coroner concluded that excessive speed was the primary cause, with the road’s condition a contributing factor, and noted that all occupants were belted except one rear passenger. Berry, who held a full licence and three penalty points, had planned to join the army later that summer. Families of the victims held tributes, describing the deceased as kind and full of life.
