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DANGER ZONE

First accident: Rick Coleman lost control of his vehicle and hit a tree after blacking out.

POLICE have once again urged motorists to drive with care after three car accidents in three days on the Bass Highway between Leongatha and Inverloch.
A father and son still remain in a Melbourne hospital with serious injuries.
While potholes have not been blamed for the accidents, the crashes come after lengthy debate over the poor condition of the Bass and South Gippsland highways.
With the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix on Phillip Island on October 14-16, thousands of motorcyclists unfamiliar with the roads will face pothole ridden thoroughfares throughout the region.
Daily, motorists swerve to miss holes on the highways, threatening to collide with other vehicles.
Leongatha Police Sergeant Dale McCahon said the accidents were a great concern, especially as two were caused by driver error.
“Both of them are a lack of concentration,” he said.
“You only have to lose concentration for a few seconds and that’s all it takes for a collision or tragedy.”
The first incident occurred around 11.10am, Wednesday when Leongatha South man Rick Coleman blacked out while driving south.
His 16-year-old son Jarryd attempted to steer the family’s van to safety from the passenger seat, but it ran off the road and crashed into a tree.
Both occupants were airlifted to the Alfred Hospital in critical but non-life threatening conditions, and investigations are continuing into the exact cause of the accident.
Mr Coleman sustained multiple fractures, including a broken clavicle, 13 broken ribs and torn ligaments in his knee, while his son suffered a T12 fracture of the spine.
Wife and mother, Naomi Coleman was notified of the accident by a neighbour.
The family was told by rescue personnel the car was fortunate to hit the tree straight on, as side swiping the tree could have resulted in a fatality.
Mrs Coleman said despite the accident, her son and husband are still in hospital, but remain in good spirit.
“They’re both keeping really positive and looking forward to getting home when they can,” she said.

Number two: failing to give way, this Hyundai Getz was hit near Leongatha South-Outtrim Road.

The second accident occurred on Wednesday just after 3pm. Police said  a 69-year-old man driving a Toyota sedan failed to give way to an oncoming Hyundai Getz before turning right into Leongatha South-Outtrim Road.
The sedan then bounced into another car, causing minor damage. No injuries were reported.
Passengers of the sedan, a 10-year-old boy and a 65-year-old woman, were taken to Leongatha Memorial Hospital and a 64-year-old woman from Boolarra, the driver of the Getz, was taken to Wonthaggi Hospital.
They were all released after observation and treatment.

And the third: an accident at Leongatha South involved two vehicles last Friday morning.

On Friday at around 9.40am, two cars were involved in a collision when, police said, a 59-year-old woman from Inverloch ran her Toyota Camry into the back of a Holden Commodore driven by a 48-year-old Leongatha man.
The Commodore had stopped before turning right into Racecourse Road when it was hit by the Camry, which flipped onto its side and into a drain.
Due to injuries, the woman could not be removed from the car until it was up-righted with the help of the SES, CFA, ambulance members and a tow truck.
Sergeant McCahon said all services did an excellent job.
The woman was taken to Leongatha Memorial Hospital where she received treatment and was released.
The offending drivers in the second and third accidents were both charged.
With the Grand Prix just over a week away, VicRoads’ regional director of Eastern Victoria, Patricia Liew said VicRoads manages the arterial road network in accordance with its Road Management Plan.
“Regular inspections are undertaken along the South Gippsland Highway and Bass Highway to identify potential hazards to motorists and appropriate maintenance is carried out to ensure it is kept in a safe condition,” she said.
“Numerous potholes have occurred across the whole of the arterial network, including the Bass Highway and South Gippsland Highway as a result of significant rainfall events.
“VicRoads maintenance contractors have had resources stretched to the limit to maintain all roads in a satisfactory condition and have had to prioritise the repair work.”
Ms Liew said pavement strengthening works had recently commenced along Bass Highway between Lang Lang and Leongatha and South Gippsland Highway between Lang Lang and Welshpool, and were scheduled to be completed by October 12, prior to the GP, but were weather dependent.
“Provisions will be made to ensure the road surface will be in a satisfactory condition along the sections of road duplication works on the Bass Highway,” she said.

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Posted by on Oct 5 2011. Filed under Featured, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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