A DRIVER may have killed three people in a road crash while changing channels on his car stereo, a court heard.
Graham Foster, 28, was allegedly speeding and switching channels on the radio when his car struck them on the M60 in Manchester.
At the time Melissa Boswell, 27, Matthew Weston, 25, and Daniel Stewart, 17, had been attempting to scramble to safety from their own vehicles, one of which had been involved in a separate accident.
Foster, of Cambridge Street, Stalybridge, denies three charges of causing death by dangerous driving in April last year.
Racing
Manchester Crown Court heard that the three victims were travelling with friends in a Renault Megan and Citroen Saxo which witnesses said were racing each other until the Saxo lost control, skidded across the road and crashed into the central barrier near Stockport.
The car came to rest in the middle lane, facing the wrong direction, and the Renault was parked on the hard shoulder while the friends stood around the Saxo.
Although a number of motorists got out of their cars to help divert traffic, Mr Foster claims he didn't see the three victims before his Vauxhall Vectra ploughed into them.
Prosecutor Mark Ainsworth said: "The Saxo was in the middle of the motorway - that's where the friends spoke to each other and stood chatting to check whether they were OK."
He added: "It was significant that there were a number of cars that had come down the motorway. They either stopped to help or they left the motorway at junction 25.
Hazard
"The cars that stopped to help were on the hard shoulder and some had their hazard lights on. One man had a reflective yellow jacket on."
Mr Ainsworth went on: "Drivers were able to see that something had taken place and were able to take action.
"One witness, Stephen Myers, recalls how Mr Foster was driving very fast, extremely fast, when the maximum speed along that road is 50mph.
"There are also signs along that road warning motorists that a bend is coming up."
Matthew and Melissa died instantly and Daniel died on arrival at Stepping Hill Hospital.
Mr Foster wiped away tears as details of the accident emerged.
The court heard how he was driving to work, passing the Bredbury turn-off in the middle lane, when he was forced to swerve.
Swerved
He told police he swerved into the outside lane, coming to a halt about 50 yards down the motorway and only realised what had happened when he spotted blood on the windscreen.
Mr Ainsworth said: "Mr Foster said he didn't know he had hit anyone until he saw blood on his windscreen. He said he had been travelling at 75mph.
"He said he knew the bend on the motorway was a 50mph speed limit."
Mr Ainsworth added: "Mr Foster said he had not seen the crashed Citroen and told police he might have been changing channels on his radio station."
Proceeding