CITY’S DEADLY STRETCH
A 2.5KM stretch of suburban Geelong road has claimed half of all the region’s road deaths this year, alarming senior police.
The section of Thompson Rd — including a slice of its Shannon Ave continuation — is becoming the region’s deadliest stretch for drivers, claiming four fatalities so far in 2019.
Since February three people have died in crashes along Thompson Rd while another person died less than 3km away on what is officially Shannon Ave.
Over this same period, four more fatalities were registered across Greater Geelong’s road network.
Senior police say they are alarmed by driver behaviour, with officers responding to an average of two crashes a month along the road since July last year.
The horror started on February 27 when an 81-year-old pedestrian died after being hit by a car at the intersection of Thompson Rd and Galway Ave in North Geelong.
On May 11 a man suffered life-threatening injuries when his car collided with another vehicle. The 88-year-old died in hospital days later.
On July 4 a woman was killed and three others taken to hospital following a four-car smash near Sharon Court.
Two kilometres down the road — signposted as Shannon Ave — a 68-year-old man was killed by a car when trying to cross the road at the intersection of Lascelles Ave in early May.
In the previous seven years 38 people were seriously injured along the road but no lives were lost in that period.
Geelong Highway Patrol Sergeant Peter Radford said police were alarmed by the sudden inexplicable increase in crashes.
“There have been 20 collisions on Thompsons Rd in just over 12 months,” Sgt Radford rd said.
“That’s obviously an alarmming number — it relates to other injury crashes, serious us injuries and fatal collisions.”
Perhaps most bafflingly the he causes of the fatalities have all been different with police e detecting no obvious patterns. s.
But Sgt Radford said sim- ple driver errors, such as illlegal U-turns, sudden lane ne changes and failing to give ve way, were “quite prolific” c” among the serious injury ry collisions.
“Speed — it’s definitely ly concern but also it’s the vollume of traffic going down there and people need to be mindful that it’s a 60km/h road,” he said.
New Department of Justice and Regulation data highlights the extent of speeding along the road with a 160 per cent increase in fines for the speed and red light camera at the intersection of Thompson Rd and Separation St in less than 12 months.
Regional Roads Victoria’s Paul Northey said the authority was aware of the string of crashes and was looking at options to address safety.
According to government data, about 9 per cent of the 16,000 vehicles that use the road daily are heavy vehicles with many cars turning in and out of industrial sites and streets.
The authority is understood to be looking at ways to reduce right-hand turn crashes.
Sgt Radford said marked and unmarked police cars would patrol the area to enforce the law. DRIVER speed and inattention are the two biggest factors in Thompson Rd’s recent shocking accident history, say traders.
With three fatalities occurring along a 2.5km stretch of Thompson Rd this year — and a fourth not much further away — the road is quickly earning an unwanted reputation as one of the most dangerous in Geelong.
John Springer, who works at Autobarn, said Thompson Rd was no worse than any other busy thoroughfare.
“People have just got to slow down and take it easy,” he said.
“They even belt thought the carpark here to avoid having to go through the traffic lights.
“A couple of times I’ve nearly been cleaned up going across the pedestrian crossing because people just don’t stop and don’t seem to care that they’ve nearly ran you over.”
Tim Fayad, manager of Napoletana, said more crashes occurred during the day than after dark.
“Night time you see people driving crazy but no crashes, I can’t tell you why,” he said.
“Crashes are bad for us because they block the road and make it harder for the driver to deliver the pizzas or for people to come to the shop.
“In the last month I’ve seen about three crashes. People just need to drive better.
“It’s a straight road — how you can have a crash I don’t know — too many crazy people”.
Derek Hardy, from Chickery Fish, said driver inattention was a problem.
“I just think people are not paying attention and not taking enough care,” he said.
“Everyone these days.
“You’ve got a speeding camera right here but I saw someone on Monday going through at about 120km/h through a red light.”
Dawn Lockley, who walks her dog near Thompson Rd, said the road worried her.
“Cars travel quite fast especially at night time, lots of young people use it as a drag strip,” she said.
“I regularly see people travelling at 80 or 90km/h.
“Even during the day it’s very dangerous.” is in a hurry