Police investigate Snapchat distraction, driver ‘playing chicken’ in fatal Berkshire Park crash

Police are investigating whether a young female driver killed in a head-on crash at Berkshire Park on Sunday was ‘playing chicken’ with oncoming traffic.

Police are investigating whether Shania McNeill, 21, who was killed in a head-on collision in Berkshire Park on Sunday was ‘playing chicken’ with oncoming traffic. Left: Scene of the crash on Richmond Rd, left, footage of Ms McNeill filmed on Snapchat shortly before the crash.

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Police are investigating reports a young female driver killed in a crash at Berkshire Park at the weekend was ‘playing chicken’ with other drivers by weaving in and out of oncoming traffic.

Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy said police were speaking to witnesses of the April 28 Richmond Rd crash, which killed 21-year-old Queensland woman Shania McNeill and injured four others.

Assistant Commissioner Corboy said police had not ruled out drugs or alcohol and said social media distraction was a major part of investigations into the crash.

Snapchat video of Shania McNeill on the night of her death in a Berkshire Park crash.

He said police were hoping to speak to two female passengers in the car at the time of the crash as they recover from non-life threatening injuries in hospital on Tuesday.

He said it was not known how long after the Snapchat video was taken that the crash occurred.

“It does disturb us that things like this get put online,” Assistant Commissioner Corboy told media at a press conference in Huntingwood on today.

“I’m sure in hindsight [the passengers] will regret doing that.”

“The most disturbing thing with the video is her family and parents will have to look at that video now.

“The fact it’s gone online, the fact they have to live with that, is disturbing.”

Assistant Commissioner Corboy said the crash served as a warning to other young drivers about the potentially deadly mix of driving and social media distractions.

Shania McNeill died and four others were injured in a head-on collision at Berkshire Park on Sunday.

“It sends a clear message to people in that demographic that if you continue to do this or if your passengers or yourself get involved in this, it really could end up in a fatality.”

He said police were concerned about rising numbers of drivers using social media and watching videos behind the wheel.

“In the US, a rising trend over there in motor vehicles is the use of social media and video chats,” he said.

“We need to make sure that doesn’t happen in this country.”

Assistant Commissioner Corboy said police were issuing fines to an increasing number of people for watching videos and using social media while driving.

“The massages is, particularly to that age group between 17 and 35, who are the majority of people who are getting traffic infringement notices for mobile phone use, is to put the phones away.

“Start saving your own lives, start saving the lives of people in your vehicle, but most importantly, we don’t any more innocent lives taken from people crossing onto the incorrect side of the road onto an oncoming vehicle.

Emergency services at the scene of the crash on Richmond Rd, Berkshire Park, on Sunday morning.

“We need to make sure video chat is right off the agenda from now on.”

In the first four months of 2019, NSW Police have issued more than 9000 traffic infringements for mobile phone use while driving, with more than 10 per cent of drivers fined being P-platers.

In 2018, more than 50,000 NSW drivers were fined for mobile phone use behind the wheel.