Carl Holland, aged 21 of Dalton Close Langley Mill, lost control of his Seat Ibiza car on the A608 near Morley on Saturday January 26 this year.

The vehicle skidded and span into the oncoming traffic where it collided with a Subaru Imprezza. The ferocity of the collision sheared the car in two.

Mr Holland and his friends Christopher Downes, 20 of Station Road, Langley Mill, Natalie Smith Calladine, 22, of Dannah Street, Ripley, and Hayley Valentine of Breech Road Langley, all died instantly.

Natalie was three months pregnant at the time of the crash. The baby was due to be born on Friday.

At an inquest into the deaths on Monday Derby and South Derbyshire Coroner, Dr Robert Hunter heard that post mortem's showed high levels of amphetamines in Mr Holland's urine.

Police crash investigators also told the court that after studying skid marks left on the national speed limit road they estimated the car to be travelling at 63 miles per hour, although there was a ten per cent margin of error and they believed the speed to be higher than that.

Police officers told the inquest that as the car was travelling at night, along an unlit road, the speed was excessive.

Constable Kenneth Osbourn said: "We went through in a police car at between 55 and 60 miles per hour in the day light and I would not have liked to have gone through any faster."

Dr Hunter said that he had considered a verdict of unlawful killing for the three passengers in the car, however the evidence did not meet the legal requirement for the judgement.

Dr Hunter said: "The toxicologist could not be certain beyond reasonable doubt that his (Mr Holland's] level of intoxication would have impaired his driving.

"I also have to be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Holland's driving was dangerous at the time of the collision. The required standard is not met."

In recording a narrative verdict - a factual account of the accident - Dr Hunter said that the speed of the vehicle and the presence of amphetamine in the driver's blood were contributory factors in the accident.

Families of the victims who attended the inquest quizzed police officers about the state of the road and it was revealed that 11 accidents resulting in injuries had occurred on that stretch in the 36 months prior to the accident.

Speaking after the inquest Natalie's mum Linda Bradley said she was satisfied with the verdict.

She said: "It was better than what I expected, I thought it would be ruled accidental. I would have liked the verdict to be unlawful killing but I am satisfied.

She added: "I am distraught about what happened to Natalie and her baby."

The speed limit has since been dropped to 40 miles per hour after a campaign.