Poll shows majority of respondents fearful of using South Expressway over rock-throwing incidents

A SPATE of dangerous rock attacks on Adelaide’s Southern Expressway has left motorists terrified for their lives.

• Cash rewards ruled out to fight Southern Expressway rock throwers
• MAY: Mother and toddler in near miss
• APRIL: Rocks thrown in Southern Expressway near miss
• MARCH: Cars damaged by rocks thrown on Southern Expressway
• FEBRUARY: Rocks, bottle thrown at cars on Southern Expressway

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• MAP BELOW: SOUTHERN EXPRESSWAY INCIDENTS

A SPATE of dangerous rock attacks on Adelaide’s Southern Expressway has left motorists terrified for their lives.

In the latest incident, one of 10 being investigated by police in the past three months, a car window was smashed, with the driver narrowly avoided injury.

Police and State Government ministers said “enough is enough” — and have vowed to do everything in their power to catch the culprits.

Senior police on Wednesday night warned of the dangers of throwing rocks at cars travelling at speeds of up to 100km/h as they revealed a new operational “trigger plan”.

Some motorists say they now avoid the 18.5km triple lane arterial route between Darlington and Old Noarlunga — one of the busiest thoroughfares to the outer southern suburbs.

It comes as another two motorists narrowly avoided serous injury by a thrown rock this week and there were mounting calls for “urgent” action to stamp out the “dangerous” crime.

Premier Steven Marshall on Wednesday ruled out rewards to help curb the spate of rock-throwing attacks as Ministers declared “enough is enough”.

Concerned local residents Ingrid Mahony, Anthony Lange and Karen Smith at Colonnades shopping centre in Noarlunga. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

But the Opposition accused the new State Government of a lack of urgent action amid claims a tender to deliver “grate-style” fencing had yet to be completed despite assurances before the election that it would be done “from day one”.

The Government admitted the tender was not completed as officials were currently in the “design phase” but sources suggested screen installation should begin towards the end of the year.

Transport Department officials have held frequent crisis talks with police to address safety concerns, State Parliament has been told.

The Southern Expressway below the Moore Rd overpass.

Under state law, any person convicted of throwing or dropping an object on a vehicle faces up to five years in jail.

In the latest incident, a car travelling south, near the Majors Rd overpass at O’Halloran Hill, was hit at 3.20pm on Tuesday. No one was injured.

Residents yesterday told The Advertiser how they checked the expressway’s 15 bridges and overpasses over fears of being the next victim.

They said new cages across bridges were needed, as well as real time security cameras and school “awareness” programs.

The advertiser.com.au poll above continues to show a very high percentage of respondents were now more fearful of using the important route.

Federal Labor Member for Kingston, Amanda Rishworth, said many local constituents had expressed concern as she urged “urgent” action.

Aldinga mum Lauren Mangelsdorf shows the damage done to the bonnet of her car earlier this week when she was driving with her young son on the Southern Expressway. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

“Quite frankly, it is really scary,” she said.

“I have seriously thought twice about going down the expressway, absolutely. It is not because there are frequent incidents but you just think what if?”

Local Labor MP Nat Cook, said awareness programs should be introduced at local schools and more police bike patrols: “It is a serious problem — I now drive in the centre lane and watch out for people.”

Another local Labor MP Chris Picton said residents were “concerned with more and more attacks”. His colleague and neighbouring MP Katrine Hildyard added: “Visitors to our area must be able to feel safe when they travel.”

SA Police South Coast LSA officer in charge, Superintendent Yvette Clark has said: “I drive along there and look up to see if someone is going to throw something at me”.

RAA road safety senior manager Charles Mountain urged attacked drivers to safely pull over as soon as possible.

SOUTHERN EXPRESSWAY INCIDENTS — AND THE STORY BEHIND THEM

“The concern for people who drive on that road are understandable … it’s quite a reasonable reaction,” he said.

Onkaparinga councillors, whose wards cover the area, urged new safety upgrades while the council said it would help if needed. An SA Police spokesman last night said senior officers had created a “trigger plan”, which would now be activated when any future rock throwing attack were reported.

It is understood this will involve “saturating” areas with police to help trap suspects.

“As well as general patrols, this can include utilising members from the Dog Operations Unit and the police helicopter when available,” he said.

“Police cannot reiterate enough the dangers of throwing rocks at vehicles especially cars travelling at high speed.

A youth seen climbing up the fence on Elizabeth Rd bridge along the Southern Expressway. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

“A rock or any object thrown at a moving vehicle has the potential to cause a collision or serious injury or death.

“This behaviour is totally unacceptable and irresponsible. It is not just a policing issue but a whole community responsibility to stop this.”

A political row erupted yesterday after Labor transport spokesman Tom Koutsantonis urged a $50,000 reward to those who help with conviction.

“Rock throwing is fast becoming an epidemic,” he said.

New Transport Minister Stephan Knoll on Wednesday night said the Liberals had “done more to tackle this longstanding issue in two months than Labor did in 16 years in government”.

“These dangerous and disgusting rock throwing incidents have been going on for years,” he said. He said Labor “failed to act and again (we are) cleaning up their mess”.

— With Celeste Villani