The crash which claimed the life of a teenage passenger ''could have been avoided'', police say as they continue their investigation.
Joshua Duncan Anderson (19), of Taieri Beach, died at the scene of a single-vehicle crash on Riverside Rd about 3am on Sunday.
Senior Sergeant Phil McDouall, of Dunedin, said the investigation by the Serious Crash Unit was expected to take weeks to complete.
He confirmed, as part of that investigation, police were investigating whether the 19-year-old driver had been drinking, and the nature of his licence conditions.
None of the occupants - who were aged between late teens and early 20s - was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
Whether the vehicle was warranted/registered was also part of the investigation, he said.
''It's a tragic crash which probably could have been avoided. However, we need to wait for the full investigation to be completed before we comment specifically on the circumstances.''
