"A lot of the time it is tourists causing the near misses and crashes because they are not familiar with the road and underestimate how fast other cars are going, but it is the locals as well."
On Monday, four people were injured in a serious two-car crash on State Highway 5, near the Waiotapu Tavern.
One of the occupants was cut out of the vehicle and transported to hospital in a critical condition.
Ms Nicholls said the crash was the fourth in two months on the short stretch of road.
"I worry every day that my kids will get hit when they are waiting for the bus."
Rocky Fiske has lived on Ngapouri Rd for 30 years but has lived in the area for 50 years.
He said he had previously tried to get the speed limit changed around the area but was told it couldn't happen.
"I was told one of the criteria for lowering the speed limit was the number of people living in the area. Because nobody lives out there, they said the speed limit would not likely change."
Mr Fiske said criteria "had nothing to do with it" and did not justify the speed limit.
"It's an accident waiting to happen every time you're there. There have been so many accidents out there and many of them don't even get reported.
"How many people need to die on that road for our requests to stop falling on deaf ears?"
However, statistics from the Transport Agency's crash analysis system show three reported crashes, one serious and two minor, since 2009.
The system measured crashes within 500m either side of the junction with Waikite Valley Rd.
The Transport Agency's regional director for Waikato and Bay of Plenty Harry Wilson said although the section of road did not have a high crash risk, the Transport Agency was planning improvements. "There will be safety improvements at both the Waiotapu Loop Road North, and Waiotapu Loop Road South intersections, with work scheduled to begin in early 2015. These improvements will consist of installing left-turn auxiliary lanes into both ends of Waiotapu Loop Road, along with installing roadside barrier and upgrading of intersection lighting."
Mr Wilson said a national cross sector Safer Speeds Programme had been developed as part of the Safer Journeys strategy. "What we ultimately want is for vehicles to be travelling at safe and appropriate speeds on all of our roads. All roads are not created equal and what is a safe speed on one road will be different to what is a safe speed on another.
"Once ... the safer speed programme is completed, the Transport Agency will review this section of State Highway 5 to assess the appropriateness of a lower speed limit."