Two young men killed, another seriously injured, after early morning crash at Nuriootpa
A friend of two men in their 20s who died when their ute crashed into a tree at Nurioopta have described them as ‘excellent mates’.
Police & Courts
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A country town is in mourning after a horror crash claimed the lives of two young men at Nuriootpa while a third is fighting for his life in the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
The tragedy came just a day after the state’s top road cop, Superintendent Bob Gray from the Traffic Services Branch, pleaded for more care in the wake of a rising toll saying the majority of deaths this year had been due to “bad decisions”.
An analysis show 13 deaths were linked to driver distraction, nine to excessive speed and nine to dangerous behaviour.
The latest deaths brings the road toll to 28, compared to 25 at the same time last year.
The 23-year-old driver and his 20-year-old passenger, both from the Barossa region, died at the scene when the Ford utility they were driving east on Angaston Road around 2.30am on Saturday hit a tree.
A third man, 20, and also from the Barossa region who was travelling unrestrained in the rear of the ute sustained serious injuries and was flown to the RAH.
And in a separate accident a motorcyclist left the road and crashed into a fence on the Barossa Valley Way at Sandy Creek around 5.30pm on Saturday, reportedly with serious injuries.
Frustrated police described the Nuriootpa tragedy as a “poster child” of why police continue to stress road safety messages.
Officer in charge of the Barossa region Superintendent Shane Addison implored the public to be careful on roads, obey the law and drive to the conditions.
“This is the state’s worst start for road deaths in more than a decade,” he said.
“Police are continually frustrated that the message in relation to safety on our roads is not getting through. The safety of drivers and the ability to reduce the road toll is not solely a police problem, it’s a community issue.
“One of the ‘fatal fives’ is dangerous road use, which is about poor choices. I don’t think it is a secret to anyone that riding unrestrained the back of a utility is dangerous and in these circumstances it is just ridiculous.
“SA police cannot police that sort of poor decision making, it is wholly and solely down to the individual.”
Supt Addison said four of the ‘fatal fives’ were under consideration in the investigation — dangerous road use, excess speed, use of drugs and alcohol, and not using seat belts. The fifth factor is distraction.
“This particular collision and these lives lost are a poster child for why we keep sending the message on these issues,” he said.
“We are incredibly frustrated that drivers continually seem to believe this does not apply to them, or this can’t happen to them.”
Supt Addison said three families have had their lives irreversibly damaged and noted in rural communities there is a ripple effect affecting many more people as there are so many close connections.
He implored the “entire community to start making good choices”, particularly with Easter coming up.
Braydan Schaefer, a friend of both men who died, visited the crash scene to pay tribute to his mates.
He left four cans of West End Draught – their favourite beer – by the tree because “they need it more than me”.
He said he was “devastated” by the death of the men who were “basically my brothers”.
“They were excellent mates,” he said. “(One of them) was there for me when I crashed my car last year.
“They were genuine and always there if you needed a hand.”
He warned young drivers to “think” while driving.
Nearby resident Jeremy Thompson said he was woken by the sound of a helicopter and went outside to see ambulances and police.
“It is a dangerous bend because it drags you out,” Mr Thompson said.
“If you’re not ready for it, it will catch you.”
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