A BRIGHT teenage mechanic on his first day at work at a garage near York died when the car he was using to run an errand collided head-on with a 12-tonne lorry.

David Roberts, 18, died instantly from massive head and chest injuries in the accident on the A59, near Hessay, on September 3, 2002, a York inquest heard.

Only hours earlier he had begun his career as an apprentice mechanic at The Car Centre, Green Hammerton. His bosses had sent him to pick up a replacement car part.

His mother Sandra, of Littlethorpe, near Ripon, said her "typical healthy 18-year-old" was excited to be working with staff he liked at a garage which dealt with "posh cars".

But the former Harrogate College pupil's return journey ended in tragedy when the Vauxhall Astra estate he was driving veered on to the wrong side of the road and smashed into an oncoming lorry.

York Coroner Donald Coverdale said Mr Roberts may have been attempting to overtake a vehicle when he "incorrectly judged" the distance and speed of the oncoming lorry.

He said: "Having committed himself to going on the wrong side of the road, it was too late to avoid this heavy impact and clearly there was no opportunity for the lorry driver to take sufficient avoiding action."

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Coverdale said although Mr Roberts was not wearing a seat-belt, the severity of the collision would have killed him in any circumstances.

He said tachograph records revealed that lorry driver Stephen Wilson, of Green Hammerton, was travelling at 51mph, 10mph above the speed limit for his vehicle. But, he said, a lower speed would not have affected the tragic outcome.

The inquest heard that Mr Roberts was identified by dental records after suffering multiple skull fractures, brain injuries and damage to his heart. The front half of the car was devastated by the impact.

PC David Foster, who investigated the accident, said the crash threw Mr Roberts's vehicle back into the Harrogate-bound lane, where it collided with a following car. The two occupants suffered minor injuries.

He said: "It would appear to be an error of judgment by the Astra driver of the proximity of the lorry. This meant a collision was unavoidable."

Updated: 10:36 Wednesday, April 07, 2004