Crash road set for safety review

SAFER ROADS: Flexible road safety barriers could be used to make parts of the route safer. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

A stretch of road near Okere Falls where a serious crash happened this week could be in line for safety improvements.

State Highway 33 from the Whakatane turnoff through to Paengaroa is signalled for improvements as part of the Safer Journeys programme.

Seven people, including four children, were hurt in the crash between a van and a people mover. Three of the children yesterday remained in Starship Hospital in Auckland in stable conditions.

NZ Transport Agency Bay of Plenty state highways manager Niclas Johansson said since 2007, but not including Monday's crash, there had been four serious crashes within the Okere Falls 70km/h area, which resulted in one death and six people being seriously injured.

Mr Johansson said through the Government's Safer Journeys programme the agency was looking at what safety improvements could be made along the whole length of State Highway 33.

Two community meetings - one in Mourea and one in Paengaroa - were planned for February and had been organised prior to Monday's crash, he said.

"There will be open days at Mourea on the 11th February and Paengaroa on the 16th February where the community and other road users can come along and discuss their thoughts with us."

The Safer Journeys programme recognises people make mistakes and one of the best ways to protect people from death or serious injury when mistakes happen is to make the roads and roadsides more forgiving.

Okere Falls Store manager Valerie Kreger said while motorists were supposed to slow down to 55km/h on the corner she wasn't sure how many actually did.

Safety treatments being considered:
- Installation of safety barriers along the road edge where there are roadside hazards.
- Road widening and installing wide centre lines to allow greater separation between opposing traffic.
- Rumble strips on centrelines and edgelines, to provide warning to fatigued or distracted drivers.
- Improved signage/delineation on curves to make it easier for drivers to read the road.
-Safety improvements where the speed limit changes from 100km/h to 70km/h at Mourea, Okere Falls and Paengaroa.
- Review of speed limits to better match the road conditions.