Speeding drivers bloody stupid
Holly Lloyd-McDonald
April 7, 2007

THREE Victorians are dead and three young lives hang by a thread after a horror start to the Easter holiday weekend. Two teenagers, 18 and 19, are in a critical condition with head injuries in the Alfred hospital after their car speared out of control at 180km/h on a country freeway and slammed into a tree.

In a separate accident, a 17-year-old thrown from the tray of a ute is also in a critical condition. The senseless injuries follow the deaths of three people on Victorian roads since the Easter road toll started at 12.01am on Thursday.

Police believe two Commodores were racing at up to 180km/h along South Gippsland Freeway about 3.45am yesterday when one veered out of control and crashed at Hampton Park on the outskirts of Melbourne.

Sen-Sgt Jeff Smith, from the major collision investigation unit, shook his head in despair as he inspected the crash site. He said it would be useless to line up young drivers and show them the flattened sedan. " They wouldn't listen, it would go right over their heads," he said. "It would be a pointless exercise because, yes, while we have got this at Easter, this sort of thing goes on every night of the week."

The veteran officer said it didn't matter how many road safety campaigns were launched, the message was just not getting through. " It is so frustrating with the amount of press that's gone out -- people just don't take it on board. " They don't react to it. It just staggers me sometimes. " Is this anything to do with Easter or is this just gross bloody stupidity? " This could happen any night of the week. It is just frustrating, it's just stupid and shouldn't happen."

Police said the people in both Commodores knew each other and were on their way home from Dandenong to Cranbourne when the crash happened. The crash driver was from Cranbourne and his passenger from Hampton Park.

Sen-Sgt Smith said it was likely the cars were racing at high speed. "If that car wasn't going at around 180km/h then I go he," he said, looking at the crushed 1998 sedan. " I would be absolutely astounded if it wasn't in excess of 150km/h or 160km/h."

The sedan was torn apart when it hit a gum tree. The engine landed metres away in reeds, a tyre and axle were also ripped away and part of the crumpled boot was wrapped around the tree. A 3m section of exhaust and engine pipe was dislodged from the car's undercarriage and also lay on the grass. VB stubbies, CDs, a business shirt and training shoes were strewn about.

The driver of the other car stopped and tried to help. He has spoken to police and is set to have his car impounded under anti-hoon laws.

Earlier, a 17-year-old boy was thrown from the tray of a Toyota 4WD ute when it rolled over and pinned him underneath. The crash happened on Jolley Rd, Tonimbuk, in west Gippsland.

Sgt Mick Stafford, of the major collision investigation unit, said that a male driver and a female passenger were in the Toyota's cabin. He said SES crews inflated a giant airbag under the car to lift it off the injured teenager, who was trapped for one hour. He was also taken to the Alfred in a critical condition.

A head-on collision on the Murray Valley Highway, near Lake Boga, yesterday left a 63-year-old Upper Beaconsfield man dead and three injured.

The first Easter road death happened at 11am on Thursday when a 51 year-old Mt Waverley cyclist, who was standing on a nature trip, fell on to busy Blackburn Rd, Clayton. He was killed instantly by a passing truck.

Later in the day, a male driver in his 30s died when his car hit a tree on Dip Bridge Rd, about 1km west of the Shepparton-Katamatite Rd. The man lost control of his Holden Commodore on an unsealed road at Invergordon, near Shepparton, shortly before 5pm, police said.

A 14-year-old boy is in hospital after being hit by a ute as he rode his bike in Gamble St, Carrum Downs, about 9pm on Thursday.

A five-year-old boy was killed yesterday when hit by a garbage truck in Sydney. The Easter national road toll stood at 12 last night.



Source: © 2007 Herald and Weekly Times