Crash prompts visibility questions

Issues surrounding visibility and roadword blockades at a busy State Highway intersection are back in the spotlight with McLaren Falls residents following a two-car crash yesterday.

On Sunday afternoon, four women were hospitalised after their black Nissan Note was hit by a Toyota Hilux at the intersection of McLaren Falls Road and State Highway 29.


Roadwork markers along the side of State Highway 29 heading towards the intersection with McLaren Falls Road. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

According to police, the 29-year-old driver of the Nissan was attempting to turn right onto SH29 when her 'slight lapse of judgement” saw the vehicle collide with the Toyota, which was travelling south from Tauranga.

Although visibility regarding roadwork blockades isn't being attributed to the crash on Sunday afternoon, a number of comments on SunLive question their placement alongside the State Highway.

'Those roadwork blockades make this intersection extra hazardous,” one SunLive Facebook comment reads.

'I live up McLaren Falls Road and it doesn't help that they have the road work barriers right in the way,” says another. 'It's impossible to see anything past them. I am so careful when pulling out of that road. It's scary.”

An agricultural contractor, who wishes to remain anonymous, says he has been working at McLaren Falls for the past month and has constantly encountered visibility issues at the intersection when exiting the road.

He says placement of the barriers put drivers in a precarious situation as they must 'edge out” onto the highway to see what's coming, with vehicles whizzing past through the 100km/h zone.

Regardless of the additional barriers, the contractor believes safety and visibility concerns at the intersection are warranted.

'I haven't seen any near misses,” they say, 'but it's pretty scary up there so I wouldn't be surprised if this is one that has just happened and others have had a close call and got away.”

Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Ian Campion says there has been extensive work done in the past on this intersection in terms of improving sight lines for motorists, in partnership with the New Zealand Transport Agency.

Ultimately, he adds, it is the driver's responsibility to ensure there is clear visibility both ways before making a turn onto any road. And just like any other intersection, motorists need to adhere to all road rules and apply common sense when behind the wheel.

Police investigations are continuing into the crash.

Ian says the 29-year-old Auckland driver is now in a stable condition in Waikato Hospital's Intensive Care Unit after being airlifted in a critical condition on Sunday afternoon.

The New Zealand transport Agency is yet to respond to SunLive's request for comment this morning.

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8 comments

Wasn't the driver turning the other way...

Posted on 02-03-2015 15:36 | By Berry White

How can a barrier on the left stop someone from seeing a car coming towards them from the right? Just a thought...


driver's responsibility?

Posted on 02-03-2015 15:57 | By YOGI BEAR

There are a number of concerns: - the number of cones is a complete overkill, is amounts to a barrier for a driver sitting at the intersection. The road drops away so the cones and that factor add together to make it worse, next, the ute was a silver colour, not that different to the road surface colour, Perhaps that added to the challenge here as a driver looking out each way for oncoming cars maybe, just did not see it coming. I was some 4-5 cars behind the hit happening, it was quick and dramatic, amazed no one died. This will happen again as the intersection is a shocking layout. Visibility is the issue here + driver impatience adds to risk and disasters.


Berry White

Posted on 02-03-2015 22:18 | By YOGI BEAR

take a look at the picture, cones both side "wall" type layout, the question is, who could see through it, it is like being setup so the boys get some overtime.


Berry white

Posted on 03-03-2015 00:04 | By earthmover

The barriers were on the right! And to the tel co contractors doing the work, if you are going to have barriers in place that impact so severely on road users make sure you arrange with transit NZ to have a temporary speed restriction in place!! This was an accident waiting to happen. Hope those girls are going to be ok.


Highway intersections

Posted on 03-03-2015 08:41 | By Ruff

There has been work to improve line of sight at this intersection so it staggers me that road work contractors don't appear to have any responsibility to minimise inconvenience, especially at a known high risk site. BTW Berry, blockades are on both sides of intersection, worst was on right impeding visibility of 2 lanes of high speed traffic heading over the Kaimais. It's been very challenging trying to see over/around them in a small car. Blockades have since been moved closer to verge - that says something doesn't it?


safety

Posted on 03-03-2015 11:52 | By frisby

Having no turning lane off a passing lane, turning right into Thorn road ,with cones blocking any room to pull off the road to left to wait for passing vehicles before turning into Thorn Rd can be nerve racking to say the least. Seems better to pull to the left & wait to turn than sit in the middle of a double lane with vehicles not understanding you are actually turning. Would like room to pull to the left:


people rushing

Posted on 03-03-2015 15:56 | By Luos

neither sets of barriers were blocking visibility for the car waiting at the stop lines, maybe the 2nd or 3rd car waiting would have trouble if they just tried to roll through but you need to stop at the line (where its clear), like the cops said, the barriers shielding the holes werent the problem, theyre nearly 4m back from the live lane


Ruff

Posted on 03-03-2015 16:26 | By YOGI BEAR

Good comments, the moving of the cones/barricades speaks volumes about everything. Coming out of McLaren Falls Road in a small/low car means that the visibility was reduced and hence as noted high risk area a accident waiting to happen.


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