Inquest call for crash blood tests

Deputy Coroner Evelyn Vicker has warned of the deadly cost of drug driving and the perception that ecstasy is harmless after an inquest into the hit-and-run death of a road worker in Bunbury four years ago.

She called for changes to the road traffic act so WA police had more time to have drivers blood tested for drugs.

Ms Vicker found a 21-year-old man's capacity to drive was severely impaired because he was intoxicated from "Red Bull, alcohol and ecstasy" when his car hit Marino Marra, 66, in November 2007.

Driver Jarrod Grieve was charged with failing to report an accident and driving over the 0.05 alcohol limit but Mr Marra's family wanted more serious charges laid.

Ms Vicker warned in her findings that young drivers were often unaware of the impact of ecstasy on judgment and reactions.

"There is growing evidence even low plasma levels of MDMA, the active ingredient of ecstasy, can impair driving," she said.

Mr Grieve told police he did not know he had hit someone until police spoke to him.