HORROR TOURIST SMASH
AN international tourist believed to have caused a serious collision after driving through a stop sign at Mount Moriac was clinging to life in hospital last night.
Paramedics treated five Chinese nationals after their car collided with a truck at the intersection of Cape Otway Rd and the Princes Highway yesterday morning.
Last night all of the family in the car were in hospital; the 58-year-old driver in a critical condition, three in a serious condition and one in a stable condition.
The Geelong Advertiser understands the driver of a burgundy Toyota Corolla went through a stop sign on Cape Otway Rd before entering the Winchelsea-bound lanes of the Princes Highway.
The crash is set to reignite calls for better training of international drivers using regional and rural roads following a string of crashes along the Great Ocean Road.
Geelong Highway Patrol Acting Senior Sergeant Peter Quick said police were assessing if road signs in the area needed to be translated into foreign languages and if hirecar companies needed to provide satellite navigation in foreign languages.
He said driver error rather than speed appeared to be the cause of the crash in the area that was “well signed”.
“The truck wouldn’t have been going that quick. There are independent witnesses to the crash and that will be part of the investigation. We believe that there also might be dashcam footage in the truck,” Sen-Sgt Quick said.
He said the hire car was pushed about 25 metres following the collision.
“The crash was in the inner lane (of Princes Highway) and the car didn’t even get across one lane.”
Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson said the recent spate of accidents involving tourists was preventable.
“I have been advocating over several years for tough action including driver testing to ensure that international drivers are not a road safety threat to themselves or others.”
Ms Henderson has also suggested compulsory safety videos for all international tourists hiring cars, and asking car hire companies to impose stricter standards before renting out vehicles.
In August, Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur floated the idea of testing international drivers at Melbourne Airport but that proposal was shot down by Premier Daniel Andrews.
Yesterday, four suitcases were seen on the side of the Princes Highway, and a part of the Toyota Corolla’s driver’s side door was embedded on the truck’s bull bar.
Last night a 60-year-old female and a six-year-old boy, both passengers in the car, were in a serious condition in the Geelong hospital.
A 34-year-old female who has head injuries was in the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious condition.
The driver in a critical condition and another 35-year-old passenger in a stable condition were both at The Alfred. The truck driver was not injured.
Three air ambulances had to land at the scene to take some of the occupants of the car to hospital.
The westbound lanes of the Princes Highway were closed for about five hours due to the crash.