Alcohol and driver inattention were two of the most common factors behind crashes that claimed nine lives on Port Stephens roads in 2018.
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Chief Inspector Tony Townsend from the Port Stephens-Hunter Police District said this year’s road toll increase, up from four last year to become the second highest toll since 2013, was “distressing”.
“We’ve had nine fatalities and seven of them involved driver error,” Chief Inspector Townsend said.
“Out of the nine, five of the drivers were the deceased and two [incidents] have killed other people.
“Each of them had their own unique circumstances but a number had alcohol involved and came about because of driver inattention.
“It shows that the consequences of inattention can be fatal.”
Fatal collisions were recorded at Fullerton Cove, Brandy Hill, Salamander Bay, Shoal Bay, East Seaham, Raymond Terrace and Millers Forest between January and November.
Charges were laid following three incidents that happened at the beginning of the year.
The first came after a 17-year-old girl was hit by a car and killed while walking to the school bus stop in Brandy Hill about 7.30am on February 5.
A 43-year-old man from Brandy Hill was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail, and negligent driving occasioning death.
He pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving occasioning death when he appeared in Newcastle Local Court on September 27.
The matter will go to trial in March 2019.
The 31-year-old driver of a car that hit a tree in Salamander Bay in the early hours of April 13, killing two of his passengers, aged 34 and 29, was charged by crash investigators with two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death, cause bodily harm by misconduct, and negligent driving occasioning death.
In August police further charged the driver with two counts of aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death, two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death – driving under the influence, and driving with an illicit drug in the blood.
The matter is still before the court.
An 84-year-old Sydney man that was the driver of a car that hit and killed a cyclist, a 77-year-old man in Shoal Bay on May 10, was charged with negligent driving causing death.
He was sentenced to a two year community corrections order in court on October 19 and his licence was suspended for three years.
Chief Inspector Townsend said what was striking about the locations of the fatalities was that they were not on the highway, but some of the Port’s main arterial roads.
“The ones where the drivers were at fault occurred on main arterial roads – East Seaham Road, that's a back road to Clarence Town, Raymond Terrace Road and Adelaide Street,” he said.
“In many of the areas where those accidents happened, not all but most, they were above the 50 and 60km/h speed limit, have a lot of trees on the side of the road and they’re not divided roads.
“You need to be careful all the time because of the nature of our roads. If you do make an error there can be fatal consequences.”
Ellie-Marie Watts
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
