Serious crash at troublesome spot

ELLOUISE CRAWFORD
TWO people were taken to
hospital with non-life threatening
injuries following a
two-car collision at a controversial
Nuriootpa intersection
on Thursday.
Just after 10.30am, emergency
services were called to the intersection
of Greenock, Moppa
South and Samuel roads, with
reports one of the vehicles involved
had rolled.
SA Police said a Mitsubishi
Triton ute was travelling north
on Samuel Road when it collided
with the driver side of a
Nissan SUV travelling east on
Greenock Road, causing the ute
to roll.
The offending driver of the
ute, a 35-year-old Grange man,
was given an on-the-spot fine
for failing to give way.
He, along with the driver of
the Nissan, a 45-year-old Nuriootpa
woman, were taken to hospital
with non-life-threatening
injuries.
The incident follows a series
of crashes at the Nuriootpa intersection
– including 15 in five
years, and the fourth serious
crash in six months – among
calls for a safety upgrade.
Local member of Parliament
Tony Piccolo, mayors of the
Barossa and Light Regional
councils, as well as local motorists
and residents, have long
called on the State Government
to act before there is a fatality.
Mr Piccolo said he was contacted
almost immediately after
Thursday’s crash by frustrated
residents.
“While we have been very
fortunate that no lives have been
lost, vehicles involved in the
crashes have been written off,
which just demonstrates the thin
line between a serious crash and
a fatal one,” Mr Piccolo said.
“The people of Nuriootpa
deserve better than this; they
shouldn’t have to fear for their
lives every time they cross this
intersection.”
On Friday, a spokesperson for
the Department for Infrastructure
and Transport said the department
had recently reviewed
the operation of the intersection
of Greenock and Samuel roads,
which included analysis of the
road layout, traffic volumes and
reported crash data.
“This review highlighted a
need to increase awareness and
further alert drivers on both
Samuel Road and Moppa Road
South to the presence of this
intersection,” the spokesperson
said.
“A number of treatments are
proposed and include additional
advance warning signs, duplicating
and installing larger
give way and stop signs at the
intersection and improving the
visibility of the intersection with
additional guideposts and delineation.
“These works have commenced
and are scheduled to be
completed in the coming weeks.
“The department will continue
to monitor the operation of
the intersection following these
treatments and, should the need
for change become evident, the
appropriate action will be taken
in the interest of road safety.”
Police are continuing to investigate
the circumstances of
Thursday’s crash.