Road death region's third in as many days

Photo / Christine Cornege

A Waikato man is dead after his car spun off a road and smashed into a tree yesterday, leaving police there despairing of a third road fatality in as many days as a long weekend approaches.

The man was alone in a four-wheel-drive travelling east on Kereone Rd near Morrinsville when he lost control on a gentle right-hand bend about 1.45pm.

The crash came hours after police pleaded with drivers to take more care on the roads after more than 40 crashes in just three days.

The death brings the region's road toll this year to 25 - one ahead of the same time last year, and in contrast to a national road toll that is trending downwards.

Police removed the man's body from the crumpled wreck not five metres from a white cross marking the scene of another fatal crash three years ago.

Shards of a fence surrounding the tree had pierced the vehicle's side, and other parts had clearly been replaced from earlier accidents.

District road policing manager Inspector Leo Tooman said that even though the road was wet from showers, the bend was still easily negotiable at the recommended speed.

"Roading control, they've done a study on this road. And three years ago they erected the 85km advisory sign, because of a number of incidents where people were coming in too fast. They've got those there, and people really just have to take notice of what those signs actually are there for.

"I think most people think that they can always take a corner at least 10km faster than what the advisory sign says. But they put it up there for a purpose, and if we don't take notice of it, we pay the ultimate price, I'm afraid."

Mr Tooman said it appeared the driver overcorrected and careered sideways into a tree to the right of the road.

Although the man had not been formally identified, Mr Tooman said he was a local who "probably knows the road backwards".

"Our last long weekend, all the people who were involved in serious incidents were local people. I think what it is ... is that we've become a little bit too familiar with some of the roads we use all the time, and we can't really afford to do that."

As well as three deaths, other accidents left victims in varying states of shock and injury - including a 15-year-old girl with serious leg injuries and a 93-year-old woman who was severely shaken.

On Sunday afternoon, a 33-year-old Hamilton mother died after her BMW crossed the centre line on Hakarimata Rd near Ngaruawahia and hit a northbound Honda.

The woman owned a beauty business in Hamilton. On her website, she said she had studied and worked in many areas, especially "people caring, counselling and psychology".

Her family did not want to speak yesterday about their loss.

Rose Elsbury, who has lived beside the Hakarimata Rd accident site for 26 years, believes motorists treat the bend there much too casually.

They "whip around the corner" and only locals living near it appreciated the danger of doing so. But Ms Elsbury was at a loss as to what could be done.

The 65km advisory sign is clearly visible and the road itself is easy to negotiate at that speed.

The corner where the accident happened is deceptively easy to drive around for the first time. As part of a daily routine it must be almost unnoticeable. It is only on foot, after walking past shredded tyre rubber and smashed glass, that the danger becomes more obvious.

Large trucks hurtle around the bend heading north, avoiding cars at similar speeds heading south by little more than the centre line.

Mr Tooman said the recent deaths would have a far-reaching impact on Waikato communities: "I believe for every person who dies, there are probably about 100 people affected by it."

Referring to yesterday's Morrinsville crash, he said that while a neighbour had told police of hearing a loud bang, it was not known exactly how long the vehicle lay in the roadside ditch before being reported.

"We understand there was some delay because a truck driver drove past it and didn't take much notice of it initially."

Mr Tooman said it was "frustrating" that there had been three patrols nearby when the fatality occurred.

"We're out there doing it. And the whole idea, of course, is to go down the prevention track ... but we can't take any piece of road for granted."

The other death was Shaun Nilson, 17, who was killed in Hamilton early on Saturday after the car he was in hit a powerpole and then a tree.

Many tributes have been posted on a Facebook page, with friends and family writing of "awesome times" with the Rangiriri teen who was "always fun to be around".