A STUDENT may have survived a car crash earlier this year had he been wearing a seatbelt, with Bucks drivers now being warned to buckle up.

Patrik Biel, died on Friday, May 23, after his car lost control and hit a tree in Rectory Hill, Amersham, before the 21-year-old was flung from the car, an inquest heard today.

Witnesses told Coroner Richard Hulett how the young man’s convertible Honda S2000 ‘corkscrewed in the air’ before landing on the opposite side of the road.

The Thames Valley Police collision investigator, PC Adrian White, said: “The seatbelts had both been stowed which suggested they had not been in use.”

He added had he been wearing the seatbelt his chances of survival would have been higher as he would have likely been retained in the car.

His evidence showed the belief the car had lost control and driven across an embankment for more than 25 metres before he skimmed the tree and barrel-rolled across the road.

Following evidence from police officers and the two witnesses, Mr Hulett concluded the death as a road-traffic collision, but warned motorists their chance of survival was far greater if they used their seatbelts.

He said: “One observation to make from the last 18 months to two years is many people who die because of a road traffic collision have not been wearing a seatbelt.

“Although, it is not a certainty, I think he (Patrik) may well have survived this crash had he been wearing a seatbelt.

“Actually seatbelts are very valuable and needed. Seatbelts make the difference between life and death.”

He added when people wear seatbelts they are far better protected.

A witness to the accident, John Coogan told of how he saw the convertible car coming towards him and he was convinced it was going to land on his own vehicle.

He said: “I saw the car corkscrewing in the air before it landed on its wheels. The car carried on coming towards me and hit the front of my car.

“My first thought was to get out and try and help the driver.

“I remember a lot of paper and other items coming out of the car before it landed.”

Mr Coogan, from Surrey, had earlier been to the funeral of a friend and was on his way home.

The driver of the car behind him helped on the scene by calling for the assistance of the emergency services.

Joel Rogers said: “I was aware of a small car 100 metres ahead of me with brake lights on and the car came off the ground.

"I realised that it was a car I saw in the air, I had never seen anything like it."