VANESSA LAURIE/Stuff
Two people are dead and others are badly injured after a crash on State Highway 3, Motunui, north of New Plymouth.
This year’s road toll in Taranaki has climbed to 15, following Tuesday morning’s fatal crash which claimed the lives of two people.
Four others, including two youths, were critically or seriously injured in the two-vehicle smash on State Highway 3, Main Rd North, in Motunui, north of Waitara.
The crash was reported about 1.30am and the response from emergency services saw the affected section of highway, between Turangi and Waiau Rds, closed to all traffic until about 10.45am, with diversions in place.
The Serious Crash Unit also attended to start its investigation.
READ MORE:
* https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/300103150/nearly-2m-highway-design-an-utter-waste-of-money-taranaki-regional-councillor-says?rm=a”>Nearly $2m highway design an ‘utter waste of money’, Taranaki regional councillor says
* https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/118697674/two-car-crash-near-waitomo-leaves-three-people-injured?rm=a”>Two car crash near Waitomo leaves three people injured
* https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/110235106/state-highway-3-danger-intersection-in-design-revamp-talks?rm=a”>State Highway 3 danger intersection in design revamp talks
Te Whatu Ora Taranaki confirmed a man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s were in serious condition.
The two others injured weredescribed as youths, but details of their ages and gender were not provided.
Both were in a serious condition, with one treated in the emergency department, while the other was in intensive care.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand confirmed eight fire trucks were sent to the scene as part of its response, but all had left by 3.20am.
Taranaki Regional councillor Tom Cloke said the section of highway had not been identified as an area where safety improvements needed to be given high priority.
Cloke is one of the TRC’s two appointees to the SH3 Working Party, which represents users of the route as well as councils, including New Plymouth District Council, the police, the Road Transport Association and the Automobile Association. The other appointee is Alan Jamieson.
Despite that particular area not being on the working party’s radar, Cloke was aware of a “number of incidents and accidents” over the years along the stretch between Waitara and Urenui.
ANDY MACDONALD/Stuff
Taranaki regional councillor Tom Cloke also sits on the regional transport committee and the SH3 working party. (File Photo)
“Intersections are always a problem.”
However, improving the “travel experience” for motorists along other parts of SH3 was on the agenda, which included work that was both feasible and focused on enhancing safety.
Cloke said the working party, which has Waka Kotahi representation, had recently developed a list of 55 projects between Urenui and Piopio that would cost about $80 million.
Meanwhile, the https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/125812301/waka-kotahi-announces-82m-to-be-spent-on-killer-stretch-of-sh3″>$82m safety improvement plan between Waitara and Bell Block is under way, which will eventually see roundabouts installed at high-risk intersections.
Simon O’Connor/Stuff
Four people were taken to Taranaki Base Hospital after Tuesday’s crash, and one of them was in intensive care. (File Photo)
Murray Seamark, a member of the Clifton Community Board, which services north Taranaki communities including Motunui, expressed sadness for the families of those involved.
“Any road death is a tragedy,” he said.
The double fatality came https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/300737302/cyclist-dies-following-crash-in-new-plymouth”>less than a fortnight after cyclist Cameron McKay, 56, died from injuries suffered after a collision involving a car on Gover St in New Plymouth on November 10.
According to records kept by the Taranaki Daily News, 132 people died on the region’s roads in the past 10 years.
Last year, the regional road toll reached four.
VANESSA LAURIE/Stuff
Detours were in place while the road was closed immediately after the crash.
The worst incident in the past decade was https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/112896020/drugged-driver-blamed-for-fatal-waverley-crash-which-killed-7″>the June 27, 2018 crash on State Highway 3 near Waverley, which claimed seven lives.
The provisional number of road deaths across New Zealand in 2022 currently sits at 333 people.
Meanwhile, seven people were also injured in an https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/auckland-top-stories/300745387/seven-people-injured-in-overnight-crash-at-aucklands-waterview-tunnel”>overnight crash at Auckland’s Waterview Tunnel.
A St John spokesperson said six ambulances arrived on the scene at 11.18pm, and took the injured to different locations around Auckland.
Six of the injured were in a serious condition.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/130542485/taranaki-road-toll-at-15-after-doublefatal-crash.html”>