Man dies after car crashes into tree on South Para Rd, Chain of Ponds, near Cudlee Creek

A man has died and three other men are fighting for their lives after a car crashed into a tree on a notorious Hills road this morning.

A man has died and three other men are fighting for their lives in hospital after a horrific crash at Chain of Ponds.

Emergency services rushed to the scene of the crash near Cudlee Creek just before 9.30am on Wednesday.

A car left the road and crashed into a tree on South Para Rd at Chain of Ponds about 100m south of Adelaide Gully Rd.

A 28-year-old man, a passenger in the vehicle, died at the scene.

The driver, a 25-year old male, and two other male passengers, 25 and 23, were left with critical injuries – all of the occupants were from Elizabeth.

The three men have been rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for treatment.

The man’s death is the 93rd life lost on SA roads compared with 57 at the same time last year.

South Para Road has been reopened between North East Rd and Kersbrook Rd.

MEDSTAR was initially dispatched to the scene and Major Crash investigators later attended to examine the circumstances that led up to the fatal crash.

Traffic Services Branch officer-in-charge Superintendent Darren Fielke said Major Crash investigators were still working to determine the cause.

The crash scene on South Para Road in Chain of Ponds. Picture: Matt Loxton

Emergency services at the scene of the crash on South Para Road in Chain of Ponds. Picture: Matt Loxton

South Para Rd is closed to traffic. Picture: Matt Loxton

“We just have to respect the investigation at the moment as we work through that,” Supt Fielke said.

“We’ve got three people fighting for life in hospital.

“As you can imagine, it wasn’t a very pleasant scene up there this morning.”

Supt Fielke urged South Australians to “make this stop” when briefing media on this year’s road toll.

“We need people to actually stop taking risks on the road,” he said.

“We need people to wake up. We need the number (road toll) to stop rising.”

Supt Fielke said the number of lives lost on South Australian roads had increased
“as a result of speeding, as a result of dangerous road use and as a result of distraction”.

“All these factors, combined with not wearing your seatbelt, combined with drink and drug driving are the main cause of road trauma in South Australia,” he said.

“Those three aspects are the things that we are seeing as police that are causing most of the carnage on our roads this year.”

Supt Fielke urged motorists on regional roads to take extra precautions.

He said police would continue to run operations to improve road safety but urged motorists to take matters into their own hands.

“The number feels like it’s not getting through,” Supt Fielke said.

“The police can only do so much.”