6 July 2009

Crash on Gundaroo Drive

| nanzan
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There appeared to have been a very nasty crash on Gundaroo Drive this afternoon, involving at least two cars. Does anyone have any details?

Gundaroo Drive was closed between Nudurr Drive and the new turn off to Crace (Areba Avenue?), resulting in quite large detours for traffic on this busy road.

We happened on the scene apparently after the ambulance and fire brigade had left, but there were still five police vehicles (which seemed a lot) and an ACTION minibus in attendance.

It looked bad – hopefully it wasn’t.

[ED – Crimestoppers have a report]

    ACT Policing is investigating a collision in Crace this afternoon (July 5) which resulted in the death of a 29-year-old man.

    Shortly after 1pm, police were called to Gundaroo Drive, Crace, where a Holden Commodore sedan and a Toyota Yaris were involved in a collision.

    Police as well as ACT Fire Brigade and ACT Ambulance officers attended to the six occupants of the two vehicles, four in the Commodore and two in the Yaris. The 29-year-old male, who was the front passenger in the Commodore, was pronounced deceased at The Canberra Hospital.

    Four occupants of the vehicles were conveyed by ACT Ambulance to The Canberra Hospital while the other two went to The Calvary Hospital. The driver of the Commodore and the front passenger of the Yaris remain in a critical but stable condition.

    The Collision Reconstruction and Investigation Team are continuing their investigations into the incident.

    Police are also seeking any persons that may have witnessed the collision or any incident involving a green Holden Commodore earlier in the day to contact Crime Stoppers.

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Loveley1981…..you talk about respect – your father didn’t show any respect, to all those involved, by driving like a lunatic whilst drunk and unlicensed/unregistered. I was behind the car he hit head on and saw exactly what happened, so IMO, most of these comments are pretty fair. I hope he spends a long time in gaol reflecting his stupidity!

georgesgenitals9:30 pm 26 Nov 09

Of course it’s sad, but if he drove drunk and did something stupid, well…

The fact that this could have been avoided by following the law and using common sense is probably the most haunting thing about this accident.

Loveley1981, I am sorry for your loss. Lets hope that people learn from this example and realise that laws about drink driving, car registration and licensing are in place for a very good reason.

After reading these comments posted ( bar a few) i’m absolutly discusted on how judgemental people are. How little respect they have for the family and friends . The man that was driving was my father and Andrew was my brother .i really hope something like this dosn’t happen to you maybe you would understand how hurtful your comments have been. You should really get your facts straight before shooting off insults… RIP brother all that new you loved you

I certainly haven’t forgotten and I’d like to know what happened to the driver as well….he deserves to pay for his crime. HE was drunk, one person is dead and the driver and passenger of the other car are severely traumatised for life!

like a bird said :

100th comment , now let Andrew rest!

He probably was resting until you resurrected this thread a month after everyone had forgotten about it.

Like a bird, nothing like flogging a dead horse eh ?

100th comment , now let Andrew rest!

just wondering if anyone knows the outcome of this – wether or not the police have charged the father as yet?

If it hasn’t been done already, it’s high time we had a proper review of the evidence base in law enforcement.

What really does motivate positive, constructive change in the population? What policing measures are proven to be successful? How does that impact on civil liberties? What is best practice, and how closely does our system approximate these models? How can the community be successfully leveraged to assist the police in their job? How could improvements be phased in over successive budgets? Etc. etc. etc.

We could endlessly throw money at traffic cameras, and that may or may not be the best use of the limited resources the territory has.

If this has already been done, then perhaps it is simply not possible to achieve more than what is currently being done.

It is worth considering what Canberrans would be willing to sacrifice for increased policing resources. Would you countenance further cuts to sport? Art? Education? Health? More police or equipment has to come from somewhere. Would you be willing to pay more tax for this, and if so, how much?

Just some food for thought.

i googled the accident 2 c if there was any progress on charges bein laid n came across this page.. i dont expect everyone 2 mirror my opinion at all.. these strangers have a right 2 express there feelings or opinions bout Andrew as do i

The question remains….Why do people insist on google the name of their deceased loved ones…then expecting everyone to mirror their opinion/// Does a strangers opinion really matter that much to you…Whats the point defending what you know as fact to strangers just looking for a rise…Just more grief to deal with…

Notwithstanding, Hitler was a bad arse…But some people still loved him and missed him at his passing…

Andrew was a lovin father 2 his 2 beautiful kids and took my son on as his own from the day we met… i dont know many ppl who havent made mistakes in there lives but in the 3 yrs we have lived 2gether he has been a wonderful partner n caring family man.. i will b proud 2 tell our baby, who will never get the chance 2 meet its Daddy, wot a fun loving n loved daddy it had…. i hope our baby grows up 2 b jus like Andrew 🙂
Loved and missed forever
Always in our hearts

So once again, anyone who dies automatically becomes a saint.

DJ, your entitled to your opinion & so am I! You have expressed your view on your experiences & I have expressed mine. Everyone more than likely has a different view, I just think more respect should be shown for his family!

Passed judgement and spoken badly? I expressed my view based on my most recent experience which was the same day as his last.

I have read this topic from beginning to end, I am absolutely disgusted with the way some posters have passed judgement & spoken so badly of someone who has passed! Maybe its time for some to stop looking thru rose coloured glasses & sweep the sh*t from your own back door before being so disrespectful to others.

There are plenty of people out there right now with their hearts aching, regardless of the rubbish that I have read on here, I will not change my opinion of Andrew, I will always miss him & love him as will many others!

farnarkler said :

Leopards and spots, sunshine, leopards and spots.

so i guess you’re not a believer in rehabilitation then – doesn’t work for all but every now and then a difference can be made

Leopards and spots, sunshine, leopards and spots.

ROOSTERFAN said :

DJ said :

ROOSTERFAN said :

RIP Payto u will be sadly missed by everyone

That isn’t true. Care to share with everybody your relationship with him?

He was a mate im not saying what happened was right or legal but nobody deserves to die irrespective of how it happened and i just think that some people should have more of a heart when it comes to these issues.

Heart like he showed others? Yes it’s sad for some people who knew him but for the most part I’m sorry to say that he wasn’t very much liked – being a coward and bully does that.

farnarkler said :

Sorry Nicole but I have inside info that Andrew Paton was a a junkie and a scumbag and that Canberra is a better place without him. I’m sure his children, when they reach adulthood, will be ashamed of his drug related exploits.

yes he used drugs earlier in his life – but not for the last couple of years – he had made a change for himself and his kids – something he was very proud of himself for

farnarkler said :

Sorry Nicole but I have inside info that Andrew Paton was a a junkie and a scumbag and that Canberra is a better place without him. I’m sure his children, when they reach adulthood, will be ashamed of his drug related exploits.

hopefully no-one is low enough to inform them when they are older…one of the boys plays footy with one of my nephews….i’ve never met andrew but the boy is a great kid (he can play a bit too)

Sorry Nicole but I have inside info that Andrew Paton was a a junkie and a scumbag and that Canberra is a better place without him. I’m sure his children, when they reach adulthood, will be ashamed of his drug related exploits.

any news on the crash victims that were hospitalised?

I think people should think of the impact its going to have on family and friends i’m sure if it happened to any of you, you would be saying different.. It does not matter how Andrew died he died!!

Andrew was 29 yrs old he was a farther of 3, Awesome friend & will be sadly missed…. Maybe you should all think of that….

Tooks said :

ant said :

It might help if they went out looking for Sh!t drivers too. If they need random tests to catch drink drivers, meanwhile lunatics are out on the roads driving like idiots, well, you have to wonder.

What makes you think ‘lunatic’ drivers aren’t being caught?

Because 95-100% aren’t being caught ??!!

I have heard of a new government initiative being implemented very soon. It’s called “Policeman in ur Pocket” The government has finally heard the cries from the public and wish to guarantee 100% law compliance. Every citizen is being issued a personal Police officer to watch their every move.

Civil libertarians are not happy.

Tooks said :

bigred said :

95% would do.

So what’s your method of getting 95%?

And what is the 95% measured against?

I have said this before but anyway, most drink drivers do reaffend so after you get sentenced the first time cop what ever pissy little fine the court hand out these days, then you have 14 days to report to your local police station with all cars registered in your name to have one of those sticker they hand out for defected cars, If you fail to do so your rego gets cancelled in the same way if you don’t pay a fine.
To some point your shaming the driver having a bright yellow, pink, orange sticker on his car but it also make it easier for police.

bigred said :

95% would do.

So what’s your method of getting 95%?

ant said :

It might help if they went out looking for Sh!t drivers too. If they need random tests to catch drink drivers, meanwhile lunatics are out on the roads driving like idiots, well, you have to wonder.

What makes you think ‘lunatic’ drivers aren’t being caught?

Mmmm Hmmm !!

same way you would measure 100%. How is the current performance measured? Is it merely an aspirational target? Oh that is right, we already public awareness/better education in the form of superneit, don’t we?

bigred said :

95% would do.

So while the incompetent Police are bogged attaining 95% drink driver catch rate (I would like to see how you would actually gauge that) Who would be left to investigate the rest of the offences reported, attend emergencies/crimes in progress, conduct pro-active patrolling and ALL the other duties police expected to carry out?

Maybe we need a small army out on the street and turn this place into a Police State? Are you going to pay the astronomical taxes required to fund such an army?

Can we have a more rational debate to help with the issues, public awareness, better education, more appropriate penalties perhaps?

95% would do.

bigred said :

Well I’d start with a tender in the CT next Saturday seeking professional policing services. You asked.

Hahahaha. One that will guarantee 100% drink driver catch rate?. And you called me “irrational” on another thread.

Your right, I did ask and you delivered.

Well I’d start with a tender in the CT next Saturday seeking professional policing services. You asked.

bigred said :

be careful ant, you may be called a moron otherwise.

ant said :

It might help if they went out looking for Sh!t drivers too. If they need random tests to catch drink drivers, meanwhile lunatics are out on the roads driving like idiots, well, you have to wonder.

Well you lounge chair Policeman go and join up then and show them all how to do it.

What is the magic bullet cure you two ?? You seem to have all the answers. So…. what are they, instead of sitting there crying about being called a moron, give us the answer?

be careful ant, you may be called a moron otherwise.

It might help if they went out looking for Sh!t drivers too. If they need random tests to catch drink drivers, meanwhile lunatics are out on the roads driving like idiots, well, you have to wonder.

bigred said :

Ok sunshine we accept second best then. Plod sets up in the car park outside the local drinking haunts at closing time and stops all the cars. Of course they will get a high hit rate, just like the time they went fishing in a barrel.

As for the plodocracy members who post on here, if a member of the public being outraged entitles them to apply the label of moron perhaps one must wonder how they treat members of the public whilst they are out and about. Would raise my concerns with stanhopeless, but he is too busy chasing skirt to be bothered with matters of government.

My dear old pappy told me once it was better to remain silent and have people think you an ass, rather than open your mouth and proving it.

Thank you Bigred for exemplifying that for me in a contemporary, internet-based, context. Enjoy the rose coloured lenses on your welding helmet, or whatever colour it is in your world

bigred said :

Ok sunshine we accept second best then. Plod sets up in the car park outside the local drinking haunts at closing time and stops all the cars. Of course they will get a high hit rate, just like the time they went fishing in a barrel.

As for the plodocracy members who post on here, if a member of the public being outraged entitles them to apply the label of moron perhaps one must wonder how they treat members of the public whilst they are out and about. Would raise my concerns with stanhopeless, but he is too busy chasing skirt to be bothered with matters of government.

no we don’t accept second best but we must stop giving the cops such a bad time for the drink drivers – surely the individuals who get behind the wheel in the first place are the ones to blame , they made the decision- NOT the police, or their friends family etc……
police catch a lot of drink drivers and it would be fantastic if they were all caught but realistically speaking it won’t happen – doesn’t mean i’m accepting it

oops – not TU to big red .sorry missalli

missalli said :

Mike Bessenger said :

Didn’t the father also pass away?

Mike, It was I who had posted that the father had died…seems as though some moron thought it would be fun to start telling everyone that..

missali,

you are kidding yourself, aren’t you?

Drunk, unlicenced, unregistered.

We are talking about someone who really couldn’t give a f*ck about societal norms and expectations.

Thumper- I have NO sympathy for the driver but I do have sympathy for everyone else involved.

Sunshine, your touching description of Andrew could not have been more spot on.

thank you bigred…

I should also add that I am a bigger moron for believing the person and an even biger moron for publically announcing it.Seems family staus has no bearing when it comes to such tradegies. I have well an truly learnt my lesson.

Ok sunshine we accept second best then. Plod sets up in the car park outside the local drinking haunts at closing time and stops all the cars. Of course they will get a high hit rate, just like the time they went fishing in a barrel.

As for the plodocracy members who post on here, if a member of the public being outraged entitles them to apply the label of moron perhaps one must wonder how they treat members of the public whilst they are out and about. Would raise my concerns with stanhopeless, but he is too busy chasing skirt to be bothered with matters of government.

Mike Bessenger said :

Didn’t the father also pass away?

Mike, It was I who had posted that the father had died…seems as though some moron thought it would be fun to start telling everyone that..

missali,

you are kidding yourself, aren’t you?

Drunk, unlicenced, unregistered.

We are talking about someone who really couldn’t give a f*ck about societal norms and expectations.

Thumper- I have NO sympathy for the driver but I do have sympathy for everyone else involved.

Sunshine, your touching description of Andrew could not have been more spot on.

can never catch ALL the offenders – be realistic people

The problem is the punishment is not hard enough. I know a bloke that on his third DUI charge got a 12 month licence loss, 6 month weekend detention and a $1500 fine. And he still continues to DUI, so obviously not enough to make him think twice.

true – wonder what would make them think twice. to me if i lost my licence, $1500 and had to give my weekends up for weekend detention i’d think once, twice, three times etc….maybe a stint in fulltime prison and no way to get a licence for work, have to do sober driving courses, bigger fines, a trip to the morgue etc…..would start to make a change in people

bigred said :

SO Spidey, why didn’t they catch this guy if they are seriously out there? Seems to me the record numbers are catching themselves by driving home around closing time. Ever heard the term “low hanging fruit”?

bigred said :

With Superneit on the job should be a cinch.

I never usually get personal, but you sir, are a moron. If you have the magic bullet answer run for Chief Minister. I am sure the Territory and indeed the rest of the country would love to hear your “answer” to catch ALL drink drivers. I will gladly take a number in the mod queue, but it needed to be said.

Tooks said :

That’s right bigred. They should be able to catch EVERY single offender. How hard can it be?

Well said that man.

Mike Bessenger8:42 pm 09 Jul 09

sunshine said :

it must be so frustrating for the police. they keep catching the drink drivers and yet people still do it! when are we going to learn NOT to get behind the wheel of the car when alcohol has been consumed. alcohol is a legalised drug that is socially acceptable and yet it is the cause of so many problems – venting my frustrations here as well

The problem is the punishment is not hard enough. I know a bloke that on his third DUI charge got a 12 month licence loss, 6 month weekend detention and a $1500 fine. And he still continues to DUI, so obviously not enough to make him think twice.

it must be so frustrating for the police. they keep catching the drink drivers and yet people still do it! when are we going to learn NOT to get behind the wheel of the car when alcohol has been consumed. alcohol is a legalised drug that is socially acceptable and yet it is the cause of so many problems – venting my frustrations here as well

With Superneit on the job should be a cinch.

That’s right bigred. They should be able to catch EVERY single offender. How hard can it be?

SO Spidey, why didn’t they catch this guy if they are seriously out there? Seems to me the record numbers are catching themselves by driving home around closing time. Ever heard the term “low hanging fruit”?

not that i’m aware of – but i could be wrong.

Mike Bessenger7:07 pm 09 Jul 09

sunshine said :

RIP andrew – you will be missed by all who knew you. so unfair – you were truly one of the ones who could pull yourself out of the crap u had been dealt and make a difference. one of the nicest guys i’ve ever met who was trying to do the right thing and make a good life for himself partner, children and unborn child
i hope for your sake your father is charged – ruined your life when u were alive and now has ended it

Didn’t the father also pass away?

cranky said :

Sunshine,

I am staggered at your knowledge of the shadier elements of our society.

You could perhaps do very well by keeping, and then publishing, a diary of your contact with your many friends.

Go well.

canberra is a very small place cranky – you’d be suprised who you knew

Sunshine,

I am staggered at your knowledge of the shadier elements of our society.

You could perhaps do very well by keeping, and then publishing, a diary of your contact with your many friends.

Go well.

RIP andrew – you will be missed by all who knew you. so unfair – you were truly one of the ones who could pull yourself out of the crap u had been dealt and make a difference. one of the nicest guys i’ve ever met who was trying to do the right thing and make a good life for himself partner, children and unborn child
i hope for your sake your father is charged – ruined your life when u were alive and now has ended it

DJ said :

ROOSTERFAN said :

RIP Payto u will be sadly missed by everyone

That isn’t true. Care to share with everybody your relationship with him?

He was a mate im not saying what happened was right or legal but nobody deserves to die irrespective of how it happened and i just think that some people should have more of a heart when it comes to these issues.

bigred said :

When are the cops going to do something besides bleating post-event about attitudes? F@#$ I am over this crappy town’s attitude?

Have you not seen the record amount of drink drivers caught this FY ….. But the police are doing nothing. (not that a record number of drink drivers is anything to be proud of though)

Matty Sullivan12:27 am 08 Jul 09

Something tells me that placing more Speed Cameras on the roads isn’t going to solve the problem.

Unlucky for the persons involved, the father was intoxicated. The son should have also had more brains than to let his father get behind the wheel whilst intoxicated. This is the sort of thing you hear about all the time, and it’s a damn shame that someone so young should be taken in such a brutal manner.

Nonetheless, my condolences to the families of all involved.

So I was sharing the road with an unlicensed drunk driver who had some crap going on inside his unregistered car. How often did he drive in tis state? I am far from happy knowing I was but a few minutes from this scene. When are we going to use electronics to stop people driving unliscenced or unregistered? When are we going to install interlock devices on cars owned by known drunk drivers? When are the cops going to do something besides bleating post-event about attitudes? F@#$ I am over this crappy town’s attitude?

missalli said :

I probably should, but I dont look at the registration stickers of my friend’s cars before I get in, nor do I ask them if they have a current license.

The driver wasnt the deceased passengers friend, it was his father. Theres also a good chance they were aware the car was unregistered, dont you know the registration status of your family members cars? Sad story but as others have said he not only let an intoxicated person drive, but he got into the car with them.

taco said :

The statement may not say that someone other than the driver activated the handbrake, but it infers it.

I suspect you may actually be thinking of the sentence ‘police are investigating the possibility someone in the Commodore, OTHER THAN THE DRIVER, may have activated the car’s handbrake moments before the collision.’

Very similar to the actual statement, without being the actual statement. The confusion is understandable.

ROOSTERFAN said :

RIP Payto u will be sadly missed by everyone

That isn’t true. Care to share with everybody your relationship with him?

Nobody learns from accidents, as there was a serious accident in Kambah tonight. A car that I think was a long body Toyota Camry was crushed in & rolled on Drakeford Drive (southbound lanes) just before the Athllon Drive traffic lights. At the location there is a slight curve, but only a really brainless idiot (I’ll keep language to a minimum) would have a serious accident there.

I went past at 19:15 ish & the car was still upside down with firies doing what they could. It looks like it may of only recently occurred as no Ambos were in attendance & the Police were blocking the 2 furthest left lanes. Although there were about 3/4 ACTEWAGL vechiles working on the light pole

taco said :

The statement may not say that someone other than the driver activated the handbrake, but it infers it.

Taco, I think you mean “implies” it; the article implies it, you have inferred it.

A tragedy all around…let’s hope justice is served, and good comes out of this terrible circumstance.

The statement may not say that someone other than the driver activated the handbrake, but it infers it.

Have any BAL’s been released? As far as I know, no they have not.’Drunk’ according to the media could mean .051.
I probably should, but I dont look at the registration stickers of my friend’s cars before I get in, nor do I ask them if they have a current license. I have plenty of sympathy for the other 3 occupants of the commodore as do I for the occupants of the Yaris and all family and friends.

“The Canberra Times understands police are investigating the possibility someone in the Commodore may have activated the car’s handbrake moments before the collision.”

This statement does not say that someone other than the driver activated the handbrake Taco..

ROOSTERFAN said :

so maybe everyone should wait for “real” facts to come out before critising the ppl in the commodore.

If you read the article that is linked it says

The Canberra Times understands police are investigating the possibility someone in the Commodore may have activated the car’s handbrake moments before the collision.

Regardless of whether or not that actually occurred and led to the crash or not, the passengers still chose to get into an unregistered car with an unlicensed, drunk driver.

… and I don’t think you actually read the linked article – with gems like:

Police said the Commodore drifted left before veering sharply into the other lane and colliding with the other car. Acting Superintendent Daryl Neit said, ”We understand the driver of the Yaris only had moments to impact”.

The Canberra Times understands police are investigating the possibility someone in the Commodore may have activated the car’s handbrake moments before the collision.

hairy nosed wombat said :

From reading this in the Canberra times, it seems that it was not a standard head-on accident, but rather the Yaris T-Boned the Commodore.

”At this stage we are still early in our inquiries as to why the car lost control and commenced to go sideways…” Superintendent Neit said.

The Yarris would have had airbags for the driver / passinger, but depending on how old the commodore was, it may not have had any, and side impact bags are only on the later model commodores

so maybe everyone should wait for “real” facts to come out before critising the ppl in the commodore.

Missalli – One makes a decision to get into a car with someone that drunk (let alone let them drive at all) plus I assume that they would have been well aware of the fact that the driver was unlicensed.
The Canberra Times article also indicates that it’s suspected that someone other than the driver put the handbrake on while driving. A bunch of idiots the lot of them.

Chewy14 – maybe police could have gotten lucky and pulled these guys over and gotten them off the road before they hurt anyone.
Perhaps if we had judges willing to send people to jail and keep them there we wouldn’t have repeat offenders on our roads (the driver was unlicensed, so I am inferring that there would have been multiple prior convictions)

The only innocent victims here are the occupants of the Yaris – they would have had hardly any time to see it coming at all, let alone take any evasive action.

I was planning on using that road about an hour after the incident occured, and being a much more vulnerable motorcyclist, what if I had of left an hour earlier and it was me in that position instead of the Yaris…

people arent scared of the consequences for drink driving because theses days it seems a slap on wrist is a good enough consequence for drink driving, the courts need to start doing their bit. As for “having no sympathy for the ppl in the Commodore” is jst plain heartless to the friends and family of that person,he was not the one driving that vehicle he jst happened to be the one to lose his life

Taco-why no sympathy for the occupants of the commodore? There was only one person driving….

I too hope that any injured are ok.

taco said :

I hope the occupants of the Yaris end up alright.

No sympathy for the idiots in the Commodore though. We need less speed cameras and more police pulling people over to get drunks/druggos/unlicensed mouthbreaters off our roads.

What were Police going to do to this guy? Take his licence off him? oops didn’t have one.

These kinds of accidents are just a part of life. As long as there are idiots who don’t care about anyone else, no amount of police would be enough.

SpellingAndGrammar3:33 pm 07 Jul 09

I’m with you taco. It blows me away that there is not more of a police presence on our roads. Unfortunately though, this sad incident is not just reflective of a lack of police on our roads. When people set out to deliberately ignore our laws and display such a lack of respect for authority what can possibly be the appropriate response?

I hope the occupants of the Yaris end up alright.

No sympathy for the idiots in the Commodore though. We need less speed cameras and more police pulling people over to get drunks/druggos/unlicensed mouthbreaters off our roads.

hairy nosed wombat2:41 pm 07 Jul 09

From reading this in the Canberra times, it seems that it was not a standard head-on accident, but rather the Yaris T-Boned the Commodore.

”At this stage we are still early in our inquiries as to why the car lost control and commenced to go sideways…” Superintendent Neit said.

The Yarris would have had airbags for the driver / passinger, but depending on how old the commodore was, it may not have had any, and side impact bags are only on the later model commodores

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

ROOSTERFAN said :

and i am sure that would still be punishment enough knowing u have killed someone, I’m not saying its right or anything like that and yes they do deserve legal punishment but it seems you can do anything these days in Canberra and get away with it.

If you killed someone because your were unlicensed and drunk, then you should be in gaol for manslaughter. Killing someone is an outcome, not a punishment. Until we take drink driving and unlicensed driving a lot more seriously, this sort of thing will continue to happen. If people aren’t scared of the consequences, many won’t comply with the law.

Drink driving, unlicenced are offences on their own, killing someone while doing it is another offence in it’s own right…. I don’t count that as self medicated punishment.

Gungahlin Al said :

Am I the only one intrigued that the fatality and more serious injuries were in the (not much) older Commodore, while the occupants of the tiny Toyota Yaris survived?

Underlines how far vehicle design has come in a few years doesn’t it?

Without knowing anything about this incident, I wouldn’t come to that conclusion too early. It could depend on if and who were wearing seatbelts, what areas the respective vehicles were hit or what they hit etc, etc. But in saying that, vehicle safety has come a long way and would be interesting to see if it had a significant part to play in this.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy2:13 pm 07 Jul 09

ROOSTERFAN said :

and i am sure that would still be punishment enough knowing u have killed someone, I’m not saying its right or anything like that and yes they do deserve legal punishment but it seems you can do anything these days in Canberra and get away with it.

If you killed someone because your were unlicensed and drunk, then you should be in gaol for manslaughter. Killing someone is an outcome, not a punishment. Until we take drink driving and unlicensed driving a lot more seriously, this sort of thing will continue to happen. If people aren’t scared of the consequences, many won’t comply with the law.

Gungahlin Al1:03 pm 07 Jul 09

Am I the only one intrigued that the fatality and more serious injuries were in the (not much) older Commodore, while the occupants of the tiny Toyota Yaris survived?

Underlines how far vehicle design has come in a few years doesn’t it?

Hercsie: despite GCC’s regular requests for an upgrade to Gundaroo/William Slim, John Hargreaves doesn’t seem to agree it is worthy of attention. He needs to hear it from other people as well. I would suggest a brief email to hargreaves@act.gov.au – doesn’t have to say much more than what you wrote above.

And in case anyone thinks there is already a bucketload going into road works around Gungahlin, I wish to point out that apart from the belated 4-laning of GDE, EVERY other road construction project in our area is being done to facilitate additional land sales.

As SuperNeit would say, it’s not the road, it’s the people driving on the road that have the crashes. The road didn’t do anything.

And I see on last night’s news, they’ve let SuperNeit on TV again.. maybe he just does serious road crashes.

it’s a real concern that there’s numbers of people who think that a road that isn’t a dual carriageway and not totally flat and totally straight is an excuse for poor driving. It’s not.

I predict there’s going to be a lot of RBT action in Canberra shortly, there was a snippet on this morning’s radio news about the numbers of people caught drink driving in teh ACT last year (financial year, I’m assuming).

Hopefully they’ll be out and about targetting actual dangerous driving as well, I see plenty of it.

Please note this guy was unlicensed and unregistered and drunk driving. I suggest he had no respect for the law or any supposed penalties. It is a shame that most laws punish only the accidental offenders but cannot address cronic miscreants.

and i am sure that would still be punishment enough knowing u have killed someone, I’m not saying its right or anything like that and yes they do deserve legal punishment but it seems you can do anything these days in Canberra and get away with it.

But it could have easily been someone else’s

“How many fatals have to occur before drink drivers start getting real punishment?”

I am pretty sure killing ur own son is enough punishment for someone

Better put a few speed cameras there that will fix it!!

Mike Bessenger4:40 pm 06 Jul 09

How many fatals have to occur before drink drivers start getting real punishment?

How many fatals have to occur before someone decides to build a dual carriageway between the barton highway and gunghalin drive?

This is the second on that piece of road, is it not?

Regardless of how/why, I think this is a horrible thing for the family and friends of this family. My thoughts are also with the occupants of the other car, prayers that the badly injured passenger pulls through.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy2:57 pm 06 Jul 09

Attitude and ability…

Holden Caulfield2:50 pm 06 Jul 09

What a fking waste.

Iprime has the following:

Drunk driver kills son in crash
06/07/2009 | 11:31 AM

An unlicensed drunk driver has killed his 29-year-old son in a car crash at Crace yesterday afternoon.

Two others were hurt and are in a serious condition at The Canberra Hospital.

Police said an unregistered Holden Commodore carrying four people and a Toyota Yaris carrying two were driving in opposite directions on Gundaroo Drive when one crossed into the wrong lane.

In Crookwell, a 16-year-old has also been killed in a crash.

The 17-year-old P-plate driver has minor injuries.

http://canberra.iprime.com.au/index.php/news/prime-news/drunk-driver-kills-son-in-crash,118851#Scene_1

it was on the road jst after the big barton highway roundabout

Growling Ferret12:47 pm 06 Jul 09

Mike

It was approx 1km up Gundaroo Drive north of the Barton highway roundabout, before you get to Palmerston and Nicholls housing. Traffic was still being diverted at 5pm.

Mike Bessenger12:24 pm 06 Jul 09

Sorry to hear about the loss of life.
Was it on the dirt road? I think the road is very dangerous and don’t understand for the amount of use it get why it has not been sealed.

RIP Payto u will be sadly missed by everyone

The driver of the commodore passed last night.He was the the father of the 29yr old passenger.

Police are also seeking any persons that may have witnessed the collision or any incident involving a green Holden Commodore earlier in the day to contact Crime Stoppers.

That’s disturbing… This implies that it was a bit more than just a freak accident.

Thank you RA for putting my mind at ease.
I heard this report on my way into work this morning and had my heart in my throat with genuine concern.

The reason being, I have been trying to contact my brother for about a week, no return messages, no return phone calls….nothing. He lives in the area and is 29.

Noting that the 2 cars involved do not represent the car that my brother owns, I can now rest assured.

Of course, condolences to the young mans family – and all occupants of both cars.
29 is way too young to check out.

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