A CORONER has expressed serious concerns about the state of the road surface along the Alkham Valley Road at Dover where there have been a number of fatal accidents.

The comments were made at the inquest into the death of 17-year-old student Victoria Smith.

Victoria, who lived in Ewell Minnis, died on August 1 last year, when her Peugeot was in collision with a Mini Cooper travelling in the other direction.

The coroner said she had inquired into another three fatal accidents, all near the site of Victoria’s.

“With each of the accidents, the Police Crash Investigation Unit have raised concerns,” said the coroner. “It is now time for me to write to the Highways Agency, about the road surface on this stretch of road.”

Returning a verdict of accidental death, the coroner heard evidence from Sergeant Mark Lamb, a senior crash investigator.

He explained how tests on the road friction showed the surface at the scene of the accident was a quarter to a third less than it should be.

He said a normal friction rating for a well-maintained road should be .07g but the reading near the farm track was 0.425g.

The effect of the lower friction, he added, could cause a loss of control. “It would affect road handling, similar to driving in wet weather,” he said. “The senses for the driver are similar to the car sliding.”

But the coroner also heard how police tests indicated that Victoria’s car was speeding. The speed limit is 60mph, and it was estimated that the speed of her Peugeot was between 62 to 68 mph.

Sgt Lamb also added that the undulating nature of the road, could have had the potential to be alarming to a driver.

Evidence from Michael Smith (no relation) from Ashford was given to the coroner. He was following the car that collided with Victoria’s Peugeot.

He described how he saw a Peugeot come over the brow of a hill. “It seemed to leave the road and veered straight towards us,” he said.

He said the driver in front would have had no opportunity to brake. Mr Smith braked but could not avoid hitting the car in front of him.

Summing up, the coroner said: “The primary causation was excess speed and the low friction level of the road surface.”

The coroner stated that the driver of the Mini Cooper was in no way responsible for the accident.