The widow and mother of two people who died in a crash four years ago told a jury on Monday how she saw her husband die in her arms after driving into a car that was parked in the left-hand lane of a highway.

Pauline Volikakis explained she and her husband were riding their motorcycles at about 85 km/h on Highway 30 when they drove into the back of a car that had been parked by Emma Czornobaj.

Volikakis then cried when she told the court how her husband's last gesture was toward the driver of the car, as if to say 'what are you doing' -- just before he crashed into the car.

Andre Roy died at the scene, in Volikakis' arms.

Their 16-year-old daughter, Jessie, was pinned underneath the car and later died in hospital.

Jessie's grandfather Antonios Volikakis was in court to watch the proceedings.

He hopes the trial will give his family closure, and that it will teach other drivers to be more careful.

"You shouldn't stop, you shouldn't stop, maybe that young girl didn't have enough experience," said Antonios.

Another witness, Martine Tessier,  testified that Czornobaj, who was 21 at the time, came to a halt and parked her car in the left hand lane of the highway.

Tessier, who was driving in the left-hand lane, said she saw Czornobaj walking next to the median. Tessier then suddenly realized that a car was parked ahead of her in the left-hand lane and she had no time to do anything but swerve.

Tessier said the parked car had its door open, and that the car did not have its hazard lights on.

It was about 7 p.m., the sun was going down, and the witness explained that it was getting hard to see the stationary car.

When Tessier looked in her rearview mirror she saw the motorcycles hit the parked car.

"I saw a body go over the car, like a rag doll," said Tessier.

Czornobaj is charged with criminal negligence and dangerous driving causing death. She faces life in prison if convicted.

Before the trial began the judge gave the jury standard instructions not to read any media reports about the case and said that Czornobaj is not required to testify.

In opening arguments, the Crown asked the jury to consider if a reasonable person would have stopped their car in a traffic lane on a highway in order to get out and let ducks cross the road.