Otways crash
A MAN suffered head injuries in a head-on collision in the Otway Ranges yesterday.
Emergency services were called to the scene at Forrest-Apollo Bay Rd, near Barramunga, about 5.15pm.
An Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said one car involved in the crash had rolled onto its roof and a man in his 50s was taken to Apollo Bay Public Hospital.
A BARWON Downs family fears the “crash corner” outside their home will be the next to claim a life unless urgent action is taken to make it safe.
Caralyn Grgic and Andrew Pearson’s young family has lived on the sweeping bend of Birregurra-Forrest Rd, at Griffins Rd, for four years and witnessed more than 50 crashes.
“Out of the 30-plus people I have spoken to, to see if they were all right after crashing their car on this intersection, I would say 27 of the drivers were of a foreign country and spoke little English,” Ms Grgic said. “I’m at my wit’s end as one of these foreign drivers ended up in my front yard only a few metres from my home. My children cannot play in their own front yard for fear of another accident.”
Ms Grgic said the corner had faded white lines, poor lighting and was missing corner arrow signs damaged in earlier crashes.
“I have called VicRoads twice to upgrade the area. They say the area is up to standard,” she said.
The bend is at the end of a straight 8km run of Birregurra-Forrest Road south of the notorious Colac-Lorne and Deepdene roads crossing.
In the past two months more than a dozen motorists have been hospitalised and two people killed on rural stretches of road across the Mt Moriac, Birregurra and Otway areas.
On Tuesday, VicRoads said it was reviewing the intersection at Colac-Lorne and Birregurra-Forrest roads, Birregurra.
Colac Otway Mayor Joe McCracken said it was time to also fix other crash hot spots, such as Cape Otway and Deans Marsh roads.
George Hullo, 52, of Batesford, was killed at the corner at Birregurra-Forrest and Colac-Lorne roads on Boxing Day.
VicRoads acting regional director Emma Miller-Olsen said the authority was “always happy to listen to community concerns”.
“Our teams will be out to inspect the intersection as part of our regular maintenance program and we will also investigate if further signage is needed just prior to the bend.”