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VicRoads urged to fix dangerous stretch of Warburton Highway in Seville East after injuries, death

Residents near a dangerous stretch of the Warburton Highway are pleading for roadworks as stories emerge of terrifying near-misses, with one motorist recounting how she had to accelerate to avoid a crash on the killer highway.

Claire Knowles says she takes her life in her hands every time she drives home. Picture: Valeriu Campan
Claire Knowles says she takes her life in her hands every time she drives home. Picture: Valeriu Campan

People living in a small Yarra Ranges town feel like they are dicing with death as they wait to turn off a dangerous highway to get home.

A lobby group, Seville East Traffic Safety Group, is demanding a designated turning lane off Warburton Highway so they are not in danger of being smashed into by cars doing 90km/h.

According to the State Government’s official records, since January there have been nine accidents causing injury on Warburton Highway between Sunnyside and Peters roads and one death.

The dangerous section of the Warburton Highway between Douthie Rd and Old Warburton Highway.
The dangerous section of the Warburton Highway between Douthie Rd and Old Warburton Highway.

Joanne McIntyre is one of the lucky ones, unlike many of her neighbours she hasn’t been hit — yet.

But she took to Facebook to vent her fears after suffering a terrifying experience driving home from work last Thursday as she stopped to turn into Peters Rd.

Ms McIntyre said she always pumped the brakes while stopped, waiting for a gap in traffic to turn off Warburton Highway, to try and make drivers behind to stop.

But as she peered in her review mirror, she suddenly realised the 4WD behind hadn’t gotten the message.

“I was petrified, I put my foot on the accelerator and went straight ahead down the highway,” she said.

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“I waved my hand at the driver and could see that they were just as stunned as me.”

The pair pulled over and the other driver apologised profusely saying she was blinded by the sun and had not seen Ms McIntyre’s brake lights.

Claire Knowles said she took her life in her hands every time she drove home.

“You sit and look in the rear view mirror and wait to be hit, every single day,” Ms Knowles said.

“One of the locals has been hit three times and was lucky to walk away from the last incident.”

She said people had left the area because of danger, and many parents don’t want their children hopping off the bus and having to walk across the highway.

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She said the two big issues the group wanted fixed was a safer way for children crossing the highway and a designated turning lane for the main streets off the highway.

“It’s not a matter of whether there will be another fatality, it’s when,” she said.

A Victorian Department of Transport spokesperson, who did not want to be named, said the safety of road users was their highest priority and work was being done to identify potential safety improvements for this section of Warburton Highway.

“We are investigating a range of potential options that may improve safety along Warburton Highway between Douthie Rd and Old Warburton Highway,” they said.

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/outer-east/vicroads-urged-to-fix-dangerous-stretch-of-warburton-highway-in-seville-east-after-injuries-death/news-story/9a9f066386ec4fdf5bb4354164c7eaf1