Family calls for urgent works to fix trouble Nepean Highway black spot that took its patriarch’s life

A DEVASTATED family torn apart by a fatal car accident at a deadly Mt Martha intersection are pleading with authorities to fix the notorious black spot.

Dromana resident Jan Jessiman was involved in an accident at the intersection of Forest Drive and Nepean Hwy. Her 86 year-old father Bruce died from injuries following the crash. Her mother, Elaine Bone is still suffering from injuries from the crash. They want to speak out for their father and push to make the intersection safer. Picture: Valeriu Campan

A DEVASTATED family torn apart by a fatal car accident at a deadly Mt Martha intersection are pleading with authorities to fix the notorious black spot.

Bruce William Bone, 86, was killed when the car in which he was a passenger was struck by another vehicle at the intersection of Nepean Highway and Forest Drive in November.

His daughter, Debbie Benfell, was driving and his wife, Elaine Bone, was sitting behind him when tragedy struck.

Mrs Bone is still recovering from horrific injuries – including three broken vertebrae and multiple fractures – and the family is receiving counselling.

The couple’s other daughter, Jan Jessiman, said her mother and sisters were “desperate” to see the deadly intersection improved with either traffic lights or a roundabout.

“A car turning right on Nepean Highway from Forest Drive hit them almost head-on,” Mrs Jessiman said.

“There was nothing Debbie could have done. It’s a miracle she and Mum survived.”

Now the family are sharing their memories of Mr Bone to make the campaign “personal”.

“I want the people making decisions about that intersection to know who Dad was,” Mrs Jessiman said.

“I don’t want them to think of him as a statistic.”

Since Mr Bone’s death, minor safety improvements have been made to the intersection, including new stop signs and guideposts to stop vehicles using the shoulder as a left-turn lane.

But motorists who use the intersection say they are always fearful.

After the accident, resident Sam Cameron started a petition calling for the junction to be improved. She collected more than 700 signatures and she said the best solution for the intersection was to install traffic lights.

VicRoads’ metro southeast director of transport and planning, Con Stasinos, said other measures were being investigated.

“We are continuing to investigate possible improvements to this intersection and the nearby intersection further north, Uralla Rd, which also services the Mt Martha community,” Mr Stasinos said.

Ms Jessiman said her father was a “true gentleman”.

“Everyone who met him said that about him,” she said.

Up to 350 mourners queued for hours at his funeral to pay their respects.

“I’d never seen anything like it,” Mrs Bone said, remembering the carpark lined with classic, vintage and veteran cars driven by the members of the many car clubs her husband had belonged to.

“He loved working on his cars. We both did. It was something we did together.”