A CABBIE could have survived after crashing into a ditch- if he had been wearing his seatbelt, an inquest has heard.

PC David Foster said Thirsk-based taxi driver Peter Maltby had a dummy seatbelt clasp in place to switch off the seatbelt warning light as he lost control of his Ford C-Max on the A172, near Northallerton, yards from the junction for Ingleby Cross.

The hearing at Evolution Centre, Northallerton, was told the married father-of-two had dropped off two passengers at Stokesley shortly after 10pm on Saturday, September 6, and had been concerned he would be about ten minutes' late for some customers.

As he neared the crossroads at Ingleby Cross, his car veered left and hit the kerb, before swerving across the road, ploughing through undergrowth and coming to rest in a 10ft ditch.

When the long-serving taxi driver, who was regarded as being dependable by colleagues, did not pick up his regular customers, friends and family members raised the alarm.

Despite numerous people joining police in an extensive search for the 59-year-old, of East Road, Northallerton, he was not found until late the following day.

The inquest was told agricultural engineer Ronald Atkinson had spotted a vehicle in deep undergrowth beyond the boundary when visited Ingleby Cross Cricket Club to cut the grass.

A post-mortem examination found Mr Maltby had died of extensive injuries to his chest, abdomen and head.

PC Foster said there was no evidence that Mr Maltby had been forced to swerve away from another vehicle and the most likely reason for the crash appeared to be a momentary loss of concentration.

He said Hackney cab drivers had an exemption from wearing seatbelts, but ardent Middlesbrough FC fan Mr Maltby should have been wearing his for safety sake.

PC Foster added the airbags that triggered on impact were secondary safety measures and were designed to work in conjunction with seatbelts.

He said: "Mr Maltby would have been thrown forward and it is very likely the fatal injuries were at this point."

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Michael Oakley said the condition of Mr Maltby's car following the crash suggested the injuries he had sustained may not have been fatal if he had been wearing a seatbelt.

He said: "Persons have survived injuries in similar circumstances where I have seen the vehicles in the way Mr Maltby's was."