Easter long weekend claims 15 lives on Australian roads: Police fear number could rise

Drivers have been urged to be patient and to take regular breaks as fears mount this year’s Easter road toll could climb even higher.

It has been a “tragic” Easter on Australian roads, with the long weekend claiming 15 lives since Thursday.

NSW Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman, said police were fearful that number could rise even further on Monday as “excess” motorists hit the roads returning from their weekend getaways.

“I really urge people to simply be patient,” Ms Chapman said.

Double demerit points will remain in place in NSW, ACT and WA until 11.59pm Monday.

Victoria

• On Easter Sunday a car rolled off a road at Wangaratta. Police were called to the intersection of Greta Rd and Clarkes Lane at around 7.15pm, where the car was found to have landed in a paddock.

One of the three male passengers died while the other two were flown to hospitals in Melbourne with critical injuries.

The male driver of the car was taken to hospital under police guard with suspected non-life-threatening injuries, while investigations into the circumstances around the crash remain ongoing.

• At around 3.15am on Friday a driver in Victoria’s northeast region died after their car came off Holdsworth Rd in White Hills and crashed into a tree.

The car subsequently caught on fire and the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle died at the scene.

’Excess’ people are expected to take to the roads on Monday, with double demerits in place across several states and territories until 11.59pm. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

South Australia

On Sunday, a 16-year-old boy lost his life on South Australia’s west coastline of Lake Alexandrina after his Honda station wagon crashed into a tree.

Emergency services were called to Lake Plains Rd near Langhorne Creek at around 2.35am where the young driver, later identified as Strathalbyn boy Johnny Howieson, was pronounced dead.

Tasmania

• A woman was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, as well as other traffic offences, over a fatal crash in Tasmania’s southeast on Good Friday.

The 26-year-old was travelling down the Arthur Hwy in a Toyota Camry near Copping on April 7 when she collided with a white MG, the female passenger of which died at the scene.

• A 16-year-old boy died in the early hours of Sunday morning south of Adelaide after the Honda station wagon he was driving crashed into a tree at Lake Plains.

• On Sunday morning a woman died after losing control of her vehicle in Bell Bay. The 29-year-old was the sole occupant of the car and was travelling along the East Tamar Hwy at around 6.30am.

Teenager Johnny Howieson died after his car hit a tree on Lake Plains Rd near Langhorne Creek in South Australia. The impact was so significant it tore bark from the tree. Picture: Dean Martin

Western Australia

On Sunday morning a 59-year-old male driver died after his car left the Bussell Hwy and hit a tree in Gelorup, 170km south of Perth.

New South Wales

• Also on Good Friday a devastating two-car collision near the ACT border claimed four lives, leaving another person in a critical condition.

The horror crash occurred just after 6.45am when a Ford Ranger Utility and a Mitsubishi Triton utility collided on the Barton Hwy about 30km southeast of Yass.

The driver of the Mitsubishi, a 52-year-old woman, and the front passenger, a 54-year-old man, both died at the scene.

The pair have since been identified as Dianne and Craig Perry.

Both the driver and rear passenger of the Ford Ranger, believed to be men in their 20s, also died at the scene and are yet to be formally identified.

Another man travelling in the Ford Ranger was taken to Canberra Hospital in a critical condition.

• About three hours later, emergency services were called to Waterfall Way, about 30km west of Dorrigo in northern NSW, following a crash between a car and a motorcycle.

The driver of the motorcycle, believed to be in her 20s, died at the scene.

The driver of the car, a 23-year-old man, was not injured and was taken to Dorrigo Hospital for mandatory testing.

• These incidents followed the death of a 22-year-old man in Sydney’s north on Thursday after his Toyota hatchback crashed into a wall in Oakville at around 2.30pm.

Four people have died in a head-on, two-ute crash on the Barton Hwy north of Canberra. Picture: 7 NEWS

Northern Territory

There were two fatalities in separate incidents in the Northern Territory on Good Friday.

• A 27-year-old male quad bike rider was killed on the Finke Track, south of Alice Springs, after he collided with a motorcyclist.

The 24-year-old motorcyclist sustained serious injuries and was flown interstate for hospital treatment.

• Overnight into Saturday, a man died in a single-vehicle rollover near Hermannsburg, 125km west of Alice Springs.

Three other men were involved and were injured in the accident, one of whom sustained serious injuries.

Queensland

A 22-year-old Boronia Heights man crashed into a tree east of Ipswich on Friday. He was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died on Easter Sunday.

Ms Chapman said police would be targeting reckless driving such as excess speeding and mobile phone use. Picture: Dean Martin

NSW Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman, said police “can only do so much”.

“We saw a tragic start to the Easter long weekend,” Ms Chapman said.

“We have a number of contributing factors to road trauma – that’s excess speeding, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, fatigue, the non-wearing of seatbelts and helmets and of course the use of mobile phones.

“Police (will be) out and about making sure we keep road users safe, but ultimately everyone who gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle … (has a) responsibility.

“That responsibility is to do everything they can to ensure they keep themselves, their passengers and other road users safe.”

Double demerit Easter operations in NSW, the ACT and WA targeting reckless behaviour such as excessive speeding and mobile phone use are set to end Monday at 11.59pm.

Failing to wear a seatbelt in NSW will cost drivers $362 and six demerit points, while using a mobile phone while driving will set motorists back $362 and 10 demerit points.

Ms Chapman said there would be “an excess number of people” on the roads on Monday.

“I really urge people to simply be patient. There will be delays at times. Plan your trip and take really good rest breaks,” she said.

“But as I said, ultimately it is up to road users to do the right thing, follow the rules and get home safe.”