King's Highway accidents - road or drivers?

[JC]

This article appeared in the Australian:

Calls for review of highway's safety after five killed

by: Mitchell Nadin
From: The Australian
March 12, 2012 12:00AM

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A NOTORIOUS stretch of road on the NSW far south coast claimed the lives of five people in just 48 hours on the weekend, prompting calls for a review of the highway's safety.

The Kings Highway, which connects Canberra with the coast, claimed its latest victims yesterday when a car carrying three Chinese citizens, believed to be in their late teens or early 20s, veered out of control and struck a gumtree 20km east of Braidwood.

Police said a witness claimed the car was overtaking in a section marked with double lines on a blind corner when the driver apparently lost control and sent the car into an embankment.

Two of the male occupants were killed and a third was rescued by emergency personnel and flown to Canberra Hospital where he remained in a serious but stable condition, suffering non-life-threatening abdominal injuries.

The men were believed to be students at the Australian National University in Canberra.

Jindabyne musician Brian Berdette, 52, and his daughters Skye, 8, and Kayla, 10, were killed when their Ford Falcon crossed to the wrong side of the road and slammed into an oncoming 4WD at about 4.30pm on Friday, not far away from yesterday's crash.

Four occupants of the 4WD, including girls aged 11 and 13, were taken to Canberra Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Kings Highway has long been the subject of criticism from both sides of politics.

But yesterday NSW Premier Barry O'Farell said "finite" money in the state's budget would mean Kings Highway upgrades would require funds diverted from other highway upgrades in the state.

Mr O'Farrell said he would seek advice on whether to pledge extra money for the dangerous stretch of road.

"Which road are you going to take money from - the Pacific Highway, the Princes Highway?" he said in western Sydney yesterday. "There is a finite budget. It's a finite budget under pressure because of the floods."

Inspector Phillip Brooks blamed "poor driver behaviour" for the latest crash, with "speed and fatigue also major factors".


I have driven that road many times - it is not what I would consider a dangerous road. in fact, these days it's usually in a pretty good state of repair. The first crash on Friday was apparently caused by the falcon driver veering onto the wrong side of the road - certainly not the road's fault; I'd suggest the driver was going too fast for the conditions, or had a micro sleep. In the second case, it appears the driver was overtaking on double whites on blind curves - certainly not the road's fault (again).

It is unfortunate for the drivers, and those killed, and the families of all involved, that these accidents happened (condolences to those affected). But to blame the road? Do we really live in a "It's not my fault, so it must be "X" world"? In this case, the X being a road, despite the driver having the responsibility of being in control, not the road.

Sometimes, I think we are so caught up with the speed kills thing (it's actually the sudden stop in the case of an accident that gets you, not speed, which is simply distance over time), and people are so used to travelling at the posted limit, they don't drive to conditions. I can see what might happen with this road - we'll get a knee jerk reaction and the limit will be dropped to 80 or 70 (I think it's either 90 or 100 ATM). This despite thousands (long weekend for Canberrans) travelling to and from the coast this weekend, and all but 3 carloads making it "safely".

/rant. condolences where required. back to your regular programs.

[|Nate]

As the officer said on the news, that the road is perfectly fine its just the drivers, is completely right. It equally annoys me how Govco and safety crazy individuals go insane over things like this, to the point they don't even see the "veered onto the wrong side of the road" and "overtook on double lines on a blind corner" aspect to the accident. Rather, they just knee jerk into halving the speed of the road and or speed cameras everywhere.

Its incredibly sad that those people have lost their lives, but it comes down to their actions, not the road's, which caused the accident(s).

I personally, after my high-speed accident in Feb, am really weiry about 2 lane 100km/h highways as there's nothing in-between you and another car if someone makes a mistake (which an international licensed tourist did , making a right turn 5m in front of me when I was doing 100)
But ultimately there was nothing I could do, no speed camera could've saved me, the road was in perfect condition, even a lower speed limit still would've seen a crash.
It comes down to driver education and awareness. Somehow we must make people realise how lethal it is to do silly things on 2 lane highways and discontinue cereal box international licenses (IMO)

[MITCHAY]

The problem is especially on long weekends are the people who can't stay on the limit and back everyone up where frustration and stupidity become the problem. The road itself is fine.

It could easily do with more overtaking spots and perhaps full or partial duplication but it all costs money.

I wish people realized you can use the other sides overtaking lanes if you have the broken line on your side too because there are plenty of times I seen people not do that but then something stupid moments before or after.

[aussie muscle]

The Snowy Highway at Brown Mountain is closed, sending a lot more traffic via kings hwy or one of the back roads via Bombala. So traffic last weekend was probably double its normal volume.

[rag top]

I'd go with Drivers. Driving to the conditions and knowing your and your vehicle's limitations.

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by rag top

I'd go with Drivers. Driving to the conditions and knowing your and your vehicle's limitations.

Conditions is one thing, crash two involved Chinese students who were overtaking over double lines, 'lost it' down the side of the road and the roof impacted a tree.

Crash one may have involed poor visibility (fog), a wet road etc etc etc.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Keepleft

Conditions is one thing, crash two involved Chinese students who were overtaking over double lines, 'lost it' down the side of the road and the roof impacted a tree.

Crash one may have involed poor visibility (fog), a wet road etc etc etc.

I had a mate that lived in Braidwood for a while. I was stuck in fog so thick once I couldn't see the end of my bonnet.

I was crapping myself on the drive. Ended up pulling over and waiting for it to burn off a bit.

The road was fine if you drove to the conditions (as most roads are)...

[GasoLane]

I heard a rumour that they were changing the name to Julia Road because it's treacherous.

[rag top]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

I heard a rumour that they were changing the name to Julia Road because it's treacherous.

haha... and considering one of the worst corners at the bottom of the Clyde Mountain is sign posted "Government Bend", it would be appropriate

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

I had a mate that lived in Braidwood for a while. I was stuck in fog so thick once I couldn't see the end of my bonnet.

I was crapping myself on the drive. Ended up pulling over and waiting for it to burn off a bit.

The road was fine if you drove to the conditions (as most roads are)...

Switch ure rear fog on man (=

Seasonal fog season soon I think, (F6 Bulli is worse in summer when rain hits). We'll blame speed for any crashes that occure in fog this season.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...g=5489,9770315

(Pssst, car 3 was a serving Superintendant:-) After this event, then RTA rang me looking to have rear fog lamps installed on their towing vehicles, back in the days when the F6 was tolled. (Duh).

[Ben73]

Thousands of people drive past these location everyday without crashing. So when someone does crash it is their own fault.

It's called driving to the conditions, even if the road was bad, you could negotiate it well if you just slowed down and drove to the conditions. That is something some people have trouble understanding.

[Mechan1k]

I used to drive that road a lot .... and from memory back then .... it was a pretty decent stretch of read to drive ... enjoyable as well.

The cause of these accidents are definitely driver-related.

I miss driving that road (I used to drive it night times though).

[poppa smurf]

never in the history of motoring has a road killed a driver!

I live by one and it has never even spoken nastily to me!

drive to the conditions and the road laws and we will all survive!.......one mistake is all it takes

[max_torq]

Lots of people used to die on the old single lane Lake George road into Canberra too, until it was turned into a dual lane. Road design can save lives.
Especially when a road regularly exceeds its capacity, like on long weekend and it is the route to the coast. The road from the hume to canberra to the snowy mountains is in much better condition. I suspect that the King's Highway doesn't have the same funding priority because it doesn't carry sydneysiders.

[EDManual]

A wet road is still the drivers fault, and if you crash in fog, still your fault. I just drove that road on thursday. Was wet, real wet, and yes there are slippery spots (I drove a triton dual cab with muddies, its a bit of a tippy toe excercise on some types of wet tar!). Its a great drive down to batemans bay!

Further towards Tilba I followed a bloke in an older Saab pull out around 10 times on double lines to pass people on even on corners , once was very hairy, he had to pull back, the car he was passing braked, and the cars coming the other way did too.
Stupid bloke, then he would just do 105 or so in the 100 zone. Why not just do 120 or 130 on the straights and be careful when near others or on slippery corners if you want to have some fun?!!

So much safer to drive faster on the straights but not in dangerous spots or on corners, although I guess he could lose his licence.. So this type of bloke would NOT lose his licence and should.

So what I am saying is, its these types of people who die and cause accidents.

[BigBlue]

When I saw the report on TV there was what looked like fog so that may have contributed but a vehicle on the wrong side of the road after crossing double white lines is going to be an accident travelling somewhere to happen regardless of the road or the weather conditions.

A case of driver error as as has been said already.

Peter.

[max_torq]

People make the same errors on every other road. Its just that on a larger proportion of that particular road those errors can be fatal. I have driven it many times and it is a fun exciting drive when it is nearly empty, but when there are lots of traffic, going both way, it can be frustrating.

[Vincenzo]

Starting riding / driving on the King's Hwy back in the late 50's from Canberra. You had to wait at the bottom of the Clyde Mtn for the punt to cross the river to get to Batemans Bay. In all my time on the road I have only come across one accident on the road. There were a dozen cattle on the 180' hairpin corner half way down the Mtn and a car hit the wall rather than the cows. Having driven the road 2 to 3 times a week for 10 / 15 years it is a safe road when driving to the conditions.

Having said that it has been 20 years since I drove it so I don't have an idea of what it is like now. As sad as it is to say it appears to be human error not the road that has caused it.

I agree with MaxTorq about the old goat rack that was the Federal Hwy. I remember a bump that even at 80kmph if you hit it at the wrong angle it would throw you half a car width into the oncoming lane. Now that was a stretch of road with a high toll.

[Legit290]

the first thing i noticed on the story last night on the news were the double yellows.
it is a shame to learn the hard way by killing yourself and two mates that's for sure

[Crazy Dazz]

A good driver can handle a bad road.
Similarly a good road can handle a bad driver.

[Kevaclone]

our local road has had 4 fatals in the last 10 years.
There has been a lot of petitions and groups trying to get the road "Fixed" to stop the carnage
The road is mostly 100kph and for 80% very good surface with fairly open curves and plenty of long straights for overtaking

The only narrow and rough section is 80kph for just over half it's 1klm length(which they just resurfaced WITHOUT removing any of the lumps and bumps for the 4th time in 6 years)

of these 4 fatals
one was a young fellow who drove off the road at a slight bend and into some trees, since there were no signs of him braking or losing control it was either deliberate or he fell asleep

One was another young fellow on a motorbike overtaking and at extremely high speed close to a bend near a bridge, his actions not only caused his death but injuries to the occupants of the car he past and the oncoming car as they both went off the road in an attempt to avoid the idiot

One was a drunk woman speeding out of town and lost control on a bend and killed herself and her passenger when the car hit some trees

last one was another drunk driving into a roundabout, he actually went through the middle of it and took out a guy on a motorbike

Yeah it's the road that needs fixing
All these people have managed to do is make the road another speed camera location