A CORONER has spoken about the importance of wearing a seat-belt after an inquest heard how a man died in an horrific car crash.

Stuart Arnott was thrown from his vehicle in the accident, which killed him instantly.

Janice Runham was one of several drivers who stopped at around 11.45pm on January 12 at the scene of the crash at the side of the A327.

She told how she had called the police when she saw the smashed black Honda Insight and debris scattered across the road, near to the junction of Coopers Hill, Eversley.

Collision investigator PC Tracey Saunders said there was no evidence that 63-year-old Mr Arnott had been wearing a seat-belt.

She said: “Had the deceased been wearing a seat-belt, he may well have stayed in the vehicle.”

She told north east Hampshire coroner Andrew Bradley that it was likely Mr Arnott, from Reading, had fallen asleep at the wheel as there was no evidence of any effort to brake or prevent the crash.

She said all evidence was “consistent with the driver failing asleep” as he travelled northbound on the road.

Records from his sat nav showed he had travelled 166 miles in the previous three hours but it was not clear where he was travelling to and from.

Mr Bradley told Mr Arnott’s family that he would have died instantly in the crash and said he could offer them the comfort that “he knew nothing about it”.

Recording a verdict of accidental death he remarked on the importance of wearing a seat-belt, saying: “He certainly wouldn’t have walked away from this – but he would have stood a chance. Seat-belts do save lives.”