A horror weekend on NSW roads, which included two fatal Illawarra and South Coast accidents, has prompted a plea from police for motorists to stop taking risks.
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The appeal, just three weeks out from Christmas, came after eight people died as a result of road accidents across the state between Friday and Sunday.
On Sunday, the NSW road toll stood at 365 – one death for every day of a typical calendar year.
“That’s 365 people who won’t be having Christmas at home and that’s 365 people who are lost to us forever,” NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy said.
There’s still 27 days left in 2016 and, with the Christmas holiday period yet to begin, police fear the toll will continue to rise.
Among the lives lost at the weekend were those of two teens – killed in two separate accidents in as many days at West Dapto and at Wandandian, south of Nowra.
On Saturday, a 17-year-old boy died after being flown to a Sydney hospital from the scene of a two-car crash at Wandandian.
Police say a Kia Cerato and a Toyota Cressida were travelling on the Princes Highway when they collided head-on about 2.15pm.
The driver of the Kia, a 58-year-old man, and the teenager, who was behind the wheel of the Toyota, were both airlifted to St George Hospital.
The 17-year-old died on arrival. The driver of the Kia remained in hospital in a serious but stable condition on Sunday morning.
A passenger in the Kia, a 56-year-old woman, was taken to Shoalhaven Hospital in a stable condition.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
On Friday, 18-year-old Jayke Robinson perished inside a car that caught fire after it left Cleveland Road at West Dapto and hit a tree.
Nearby residents were able to free the driver, a 24-year-old man, following the crash about 2.10am.
The accidents was one of two at the weekend that involved people being incinerated.
In the other crash, one person died when a car hit a tree and burst into flames at Bringelly, in Sydney’s west, on Sunday morning.
“Those are always horrific to attend,” Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.
Investigators say speed was a factor in Friday’s West Dapto crash.
In September, an 18-year-old was killed in what police say was also a speed-related crash at Windang.
Police allege two teens were street racing along Windang Road moments before Jesse Brown’s Holden Commodore slammed into the rear of a parked delivery truck, killing him instantly.
On Sunday, Assistant Commissioner Corboy said police were seeing more and more risk-taking behaviour and “distracted driving”.
EDITORIAL: The growing road toll is everyone’s business
Andrew Pearson
Andrew grew up in the western Riverina town of Hay and has strong ties to the region. He is a former DA journo who has a passion for breaking news and has covered everything from council and politics to crime and court.
Andrew grew up in the western Riverina town of Hay and has strong ties to the region. He is a former DA journo who has a passion for breaking news and has covered everything from council and politics to crime and court.
