Two grey nomad caravanners have been killed after they jack-knifed into the path of an oncoming motorhome in the Northern Territory.
The couple who died were a 76-year-old man from Tasmania and his 74-year-old wife.
The accident happened yesterday on a stretch of the Stuart Highway north of Barrow Creek where a trial of open speed limits is under way, although it is not believed that speed was a factor in the crash.
Detective Acting Superintendent Janelle Tonkin from NT Police told the ABC that the elderly couple were heading to Darwin in a four-wheel drive towing a caravan and appeared to have left the bitumen to the left of the road.
“The driver has over-corrected, causing the four-wheel drive and the caravan to jack-knife, unfortunately into the oncoming path of a Fiat Ducato motorhome driven by two NSW residents who were heading south towards Alice Springs,” Ms Tonkin said. “The vehicle caught fire immediately after the crash and was completely destroyed.”
The couple in the motorhome received serious injuries and were taken to Alice Springs Hospital. The ABC reports that the husband suffered a broken leg and his wife received head injuries, and was expected to be sent to Adelaide for further treatment
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How many people have to die or be seriously injured before we have compulsory driver training and licence endorsement to tow a trailer
Woody,
This is how backward we are, which is the reason why NT still doesn’t have open speed limits at least to Katherine and the rest of Australia has 110 limit. Licence being handed out like candies to people who would have never qualified as suitable drivers in Europe, yet we still consider those people safe drivers. Once those measures are implemented, we might just see safer roads.
Woody, this has nothing to do with driving in Europe. It is an entirely different country here to Europe, with roads that are entirely different. European roads are much wider, with more than one lane and they are the auto barns only. That have open speed limits. I’ve been there and driven on them and country roads. And it’s not about old people driving either. Nor having lessons to tow vehicles. It’s just driver distraction, as why did they veer off to the left. He probably panicked and that was it. An accident and pure bad luck
Fair enough question but who says these people hadn’t had training or weren’t experienced caravaners?. Training helps but it doesn’t guarantee that unfortunate accidents like this one seems to have been won’t happen.
Definately Woody because having a licence prevents accidents!! Have never seen a truck or car crash !
My god this has nothing to do with why this accident happened and why people died. Read the facts before you comment. The 2 injured and bad in hospital are friends of mine and the other 2 that horrifically died has nothing to do with how to f… Tow a trailer/caravan. You go off the road slightly and on dirt on the edge and try to rectify by very slight steering wheel turn or tap on breaks. This is very unfortunate & very upsetting to everyone.
Driver training is one answer, correct use of the manual van brake from the driver can also eliminate major problems, as well as weight distribution inside the van, I have also seen manufacturing place more emphasis on dreamy layouts apposed to weight configuration and distribution. New Nomads should be attending a one night a week for a month Tafe course would really open a few minds, andI wonder ho many carry a set of safety triangles ???? BUT yes some basic skills knowledge is needed.
Cant agree with you Bob. While I certainly think that a license endorsement should be required to tow trailers over 750kg, this needs to be acquired by way of in-car-with van-on training and assessment. I dont think just theoretical instruction would deal with the actual skills needed for safe towing – eg a student needs to actually experience drifting left and seeing that returning gently to the lane is the way to go.
Maybe Alko ESC could of help here. That is what it is designed for.
Every little bit helps toward safety
Maybe the shoulder drop might have been an issue in this unfortunate accident
I have done a training course which involved reversing an turning plus backin. I asked about reacting to trucks passing, or high winds and was told that you have to get used to this on the roads. I would not think I am anywhere ready to know how to react to these situations.
Lorraine, NO-ONE is ready for any situation, I’ve put in about 50thou kilom towing a van and I don’t have all the answers either and anyone who professors to know it all is dangerous, you have done a course and that’s more than most, best way start with a small rig and work up. You’ll know when you feel comfortable to step up, I’m an old truckie and I still prefer my 16′ footer and don’t forget if you want shower and flushing toilet you’ll need a stack of water and every litre is an extra kilo.
The shoulders on these roads are often cut away by water and it is easy to lose control if either the vehicle or van drop over, I am in this area at present and am aware of the road conditions. This was an accident and I don’t know that it should be attributed to age of the driver or inexperience. Drive carefully everyone.
Many vehicles have come to grief after veering into the gravel on the roads edge, it is not uncommon.
Personally this is why I do not tow a caravan because it is easier to get out of control than a rigid vehicle.
Diane Richeardson.
ALl accidents are negligence by the driver or mechanic servicing vehicles.
I’ve driven commercial and private. Trucks cars and everything else over the 56 yrs of my licence in quite a few country’s.
A country that allowa anybody to get in a car.truck motorhome with NO actual trining.
Is responsible for most of it.
Truck drivers ALL have to have hrs up on individual types and weights of vehicles.
WHY should car drivers.
Especially old farts whose brains are trained in a car and 6×4
be excempt.
That is negligence of the first degree.
Just look at the numbers in last few yrs.
Of old caravanners. rolling etc.
If they had ANYbasic training and a few hrs at all.
They/WE would be a lot safer on our roads.
Blabe the gutless politicians in this country, primarily.
For the majority of this problem.
Get them to implement some courses and training.
Then the families of peole injuerde/killed will be happier.
IE LESS of them.
Macka a very emotive ill considered comment! This old Fart got his medium rigid truck licence on a 13 tonne fire truck at 68 (yes properly tested and passed the RTA tests. then at 70 I attained a commercial fork lift licence (5 year licence) I also tow a caravan. My understanding of the rules are if a motor home is over light rigid weight then the driver must have a medium rigid licence, if a 3 axle motor home then a HR licence the same rules apply for those vehicles and drivers as for Trucks and Truckies, if you are unsure about those rules perhaps you need retesting.