Six months, eight crashes - is this our most dangerous road?

A FATALITY is only a matter of time on a dangerous Nimbin Rd bend, says resident Peter Szaak after eight crashes in the past six months.

SORRY STATE: Peter Szaak of Booerie Creek is concerned about the condition of Nimbin Rd in front of his house, where there have been eight accidents in six months. Picture: Cathy Adams

A FATALITY is only a matter of time on a dangerous Nimbin Rd bend, says resident Peter Szaak after eight crashes in the past six months.

On Monday Mr Szaak helped a 61-year-old motorcyclist from Grafton who came unstuck on the left-hand bend and crashed through a fence while riding towards Lismore.

This was the fourth time since May the North Lismore resident, who lives 5km from the CBD near the Boorie Creek Rd turnoff, had rushed to help out crash victims.

Mr Szaak said as seven of the crashes occurred during the day and involved people travelling towards Lismore; he believed the road surface was a contributing factor.

"It's cambered wrong, it's very slippery, the tar needs resurfacing and there are no advisory signs telling people to slow down," he said. "If you hit that corner doing 80kmh or a little bit more, people just end up going straight, they can't take the corner."

One of the crashes on Nimbin Road near Mr Szaak's home at Booerie Creek. Photo Contributed. Picture: Contributed

With school buses stopping near the path of a potential smash, Mr Szaak said the results could be disastrous.

"The truck drivers going to and from Blakebrook Quarry are great, they're spot on with their driving, but what concerns me is given the high flow of trucks that are on the road that someone is going to come unstuck and collide with a truck which would be a disaster.

"One would think with more than a collision a month in one area, and I'm talking in a stretch of road of no more than a kilometre, it would raise the eyebrows of traffic committees or whoever is in charge of monitoring road safety."

Mr Szaak said he had raised the issue with police and written to council about the black spot bend, the need for better signage, and reducing the speed limit to alleviate the danger.

A Lismore City Council spokeswoman said Mr Szaak's safety concerns were discussed at the Traffic Advisory Committee meeting in August and the September 10 council meeting.

"Nimbin Road is sign posted 80kmh and is generally considered appropriate given the prevailing roadside development," the spokeswoman said. "The erection of suitable curve warning signs and further investigation into road surface conditions are considered more relevant rather than reducing the speed limit."

One of the motorcycle crashes on Nimbin Road near the Booerie Creek home of Peter Szaak. Photo Contributed. Picture: Contributed

Nimbin Rd blackspot

• Eight crashes in six months
• 5km from CBD on Nimbin Rd between Old Quarry Rd and Boorie Ck Rd
• Crashes occur on left hand bend heading toward Lismore
• The council considers 80kmh speed appropriate but will erect warning signs and investigate road surface