A teenager joked to friends he wanted to die in a car crash minutes before he was killed in a road accident.
Zach O'Connor, 17, was fatally injured when the car driven by Joe Brady swerved off a dark country road and hit a tree.
The Ford Focus flipped on to its side in Malthouse Lane, Burgess Hill, on the evening of April 4 last year.
Brady, 18, who had passed his driving test only 15 days earlier, suffered minor injuries.
He is on trial at Lewes Crown Court accused of causing the death of Zach by dangerous driving.
Brady, of Mill Road, Burgess Hill, denies the charge.
The prosecution says Brady was driving too fast for the dark, winding road, although he was not over the 60mph speed limit.
When questioned by police, the teenager denied showing off to his friends or driving so fast that two wheels had left the ground as he turned into Malthouse Lane.
Instead he said the crash had been caused by an error of judgement.
The trial continues.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article