Rural Road Safety Month is not even half way through yet, but the number of horrific country accidents continues to pile up … and an uncomfortably high proportion of them seem to involve caravans.
The latest came on Sunday when a man died and two women were seriously injured in a three-car crash that involved a car towing a caravan.
The horror smash happened on the Princes Highway near South Pambula on the NSW South Coast on Sunday afternoon.
Police were told a 4WD towing a caravan and a utility travelling north on the Princes Highway, and a 4WD travelling south, collided.
Emergency services quickly attended the horrific scene. PIC: Pexels
The male passenger of the 4WD travelling south died at the scene. The female driver of that vehicle was taken to South Eastern Regional Hospital in a critical condition.
The driver of the 4WD towing the caravan was taken to South Eastern Regional Hospital for mandatory testing with minor injuries. The female passenger of the same vehicle was airlifted to Canberra Hospital in a serious condition with pelvic and internal injuries.
The driver of the utility was taken to South Eastern Regional Hospital for mandatory testing with minor injuries.
Peter from Eden was one of the first motorists to arrive and told East Coast Radio that it was a ‘horrible scene’.
“I pulled over and called triple zero and then rendered assistance to a horrific scene,” he told the station. “There was a few other helpers there as well, and we were trying to give some CPR to one of the gentleman that were in the accident and we all tried as hard as we could but it was a pretty bad scene.”
The Princes Highway was closed in both directions for around 10 hours following the accident. A brief will be prepared for the Coroner.
Just last week, a couple in their 70s were trapped inside the wreckage of their tow vehicle after it, and their caravan, rolled on Queensland’s Bruce Highway at Lake Monduran. Happily, the pair were later freed and the Queensland Ambulance Service said ‘no significant injuries’ were suffered by either patient.
During Rural Road Safety Month, which runs throughout September, the caravan industry is stepping up its messaging, urging RVers to make sure they fully understand their setups, including towing and caravan weights … and that they focus on pre-planning, fatigue management and simply being patient on the road.
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Nearly been in head on a couple of times up that way ( towing and non towing) Appears speed and phone use are pretty prevalent up that way. You have to be continually on high alert for drivers drifting across into your lane
This is raise debate again regarding caravans and speed. Already seen the comments on Farcebook. Motoring bodies generally agree, a safe towing speed is around 90kph. Saves fuel too. Was speed a cause for this accident, we don’t know but people are talking speed.
I know of one person on FB caravan site that said it was OK for him and his Landcruiser and 3T can to be don’t 110kph on VIC roads. I don’t agree. He was even enjoying telling others how he enjoyed the power and weaving through Melbourne traffic.
The debate continues.
The story doesn’t state whether the involvement of a caravan was relevant.
One also has to watch when being overtaken by B Doubles that some forget the length of their rigs and cut back in too quick which I have experienced a couple of times and the trucks have not even noticed what has happened behind them, I’ve often wondered if this is the reason of some “unexplained” single vehicle/caravan accidents and having been in that position just my 2cents worth, cheers Ian
And you could be right too Ian. It would just be nice to read “how they happened” and not get speculation from the press/reporters.
The sooner they make dash cameras compulsory we will know what happened
Not necessarily they only show the front view, what about rear and blind spot areas too!