Woman killed attempting U-turn

A woman attempting a U-turn on State Highway 2 has died after crashing with a logging truck east of Te Puke this morning.

Western Bay of Plenty road policing Sergeant Wayne Hunter says the woman was driving a van west on State Highway 2 when she pulled over to let two cars pass her.


A Te Puke woman was killed attempting a U-turn on State Highway 2.

'She didn't see the truck and did a U-turn in front of it. The truck hit her side on and shunted her car about 30m.”

Firefighters freed the Te Puke woman from the vehicle just before 8am.

Wayne says she died on the way to hospital.

The accident happened right outside the home of Christine Spargo, who told Stuff it was a notorious stretch of road.

'I've been involved in a fatal accident along here. It should be reduced to 70.”

She heard a loud bang and ran down to find the truck driver and a firefighter from a passing car trying to help the woman.

'Someone said they could feel a slight pulse, but she wasn't making much noise. Someone got a blanket. I tried to find a neck brace. I was freaking out.”

Christine says she feels sorry for the truck driver.

'He didn't realise the car was stuck to him at first, he thought it might have flicked off. There was so much smoke from the tyres he couldn't see.”

Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the crash.

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4 comments

Darren Allport

Posted on 30-05-2015 17:28 | By Darren Allport

Unfortunate time when kiwifruit season is 99 from people become careless and people are rushing. I feel sorry for the truck driver as he'll never forget what's happen. I feel for the car driver family, simple mistake has lost a life. Should be a around about there.


Not a bad bit of road

Posted on 31-05-2015 07:33 | By pokemup

Reducing the speed limit would not have prevented this tragic accident.As for a roundabout, this happened on a sweeping bend with very good vision.I drive this road every day and it is not a bad bit of road. Very sad for the family.


round-a-bout

Posted on 31-05-2015 22:10 | By joe p

would not be of any use at this piece of road, its just a big sweeping corner with good vision, unfortunately this driver made a very bad decision which cost her her life, very sad for the family. i will say again, its not the roads that are the problem, its the drivers, why do some of us blame other things for their mistakes ??Why?? because we seem to have to blame something or someone else for our mistakes.


@joe p

Posted on 03-06-2015 11:58 | By morepork

I agree 100%.It is too easy to simply abnegate responsibility and say:"Well, it wasn't my fault, it's this terrible road..." It is a tragedy for all concerned, but the cause is a bad driving decision. We all make them (and usually we survive) but the trick is to realise we could have done better, and not blame the environment or others for our own mistakes. Terribly sad outcome here and condolences to the family and the truck driver, who really had little chance to take evasive action.


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