Tragedy has again struck on Hunter roads with the death of a Medowie woman in a serious crash in Newcastle, becoming the fifth fatal accident in the region in just eight days.
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Police have again pleaded with motorists to take care after describing the accident as a “sad reminder” of the dangers present on the roads.
The Industrial Drive crash, which is believed to be the first fatal accident in the Newcastle City Local Area Command this year, occurred shortly before 11.30am on Monday, forcing the closure of the busy arterial road at the Tourle Street intersection for several hours.
Initial investigations suggest the Holden Astra was turning right onto Tourle Street when it was struck by the Ford Territory.
That investigation is ongoing and police are calling for witnesses.
The passenger in the Astra, a Medowie woman police believe was aged in her 60s, died at the scene.
The woman’s husband, a 63-year-old man, who was driving at the time, was taken to John Hunter Hospital.
The Territory driver, a 31-year-old man, was also taken to hospital.
Both men escaped serious injury and were in a stable condition.
Newcastle police duty officer Inspector Shane Buggy said the incident was a tragedy.
“It’s a sad but timely reminder of the need to apply all due care when on our roads, no matter what the conditions are, no matter if it’s day or night,” he said.
Industrial Drive reopened shortly before 4.30pm.
The road was closed heading east from the Werribi Street intersection, with motorists diverted onto the Pacific Highway at Mayfield.
Motorists heading to Kooragang Island were asked to use Tomago Road.
There were heavy delays throughout the area, particularly on the Pacific Highway.
Death on Hunter roads has become all-too-familiar in recent weeks.
And police have become frustrated at what they say is drivers becoming “complacent” behind the wheel.
At a press conference last week, senior highway patrol cop Chief Inspector Phil Brooks said “police have had enough”, while the head of the Northern Region, Chief Inspector Bruce McGregor, used the string of tragedies to warn against driver distractions.
In the past eight days, there have been fatal crashes at Cameron Park, Aberdeen and Gloucester.
A pedestrian who died at Karuah was removed from the road toll as the investigation revealed no suspicious circumstances and no driver fault.
Monday’s tragedy brings the Hunter road toll to 37. Seventy-two people died on the region’s roads last year.
