NSW: Boy, 13, becomes state's third victim

AAP General News (Australia)
12-23-2001
NSW: Boy, 13, becomes state's third victim

By Denise McNamara

SYDNEY, Dec 23 AAP - A Brisbane father of three and a 13-year-old boy were killed on
NSW roads today in separate accidents, bringing the state's Christmas toll to three.

The father was killed instantly when his car left the road and hit a tree this morning
just before 8am (AEDT) on the Newell Highway, about 30km north of Grong Grong in southern
NSW.

His youngest daughter, aged seven, suffered serious leg, abdominal, chest and arm injuries
while the nine-year-old suffered serious leg injuries.

Both were taken to Canberra Hospital by helicopter while the eldest daughter, aged
13, escaped injury.

The four were travelling to Melbourne to spend Christmas with family.

A 13-year-old was killed after his bicycle collided with a car near Wollongong on the
NSW south coast.

The teenager from Warilla, outside Wollongong, was unable to be revived in hospital
after the accident at Mount Warrigal involving a Holden Commodore Sedan at around 11am
today.

The 20-year-old driver from Mount Warrigal was interviewed by police but no charges
were expected to be laid, a police spokeswoman said.

A trail bike rider in his early 20s died after crashing into a tree near a waste disposal
depot at Lucas Heights, south of Sydney.

The motorcyclist from Toongabbie in the western suburbs was riding with a friend on
dirt tracks at around 3pm (AEDT) today when the accident took place, an ambulance spokesman
said.

Police have yet to determine whether his death will be included in the state's road toll.

Early Friday morning a man became the state's first road victim when he was struck
by three vehicles while lying on Bathurst Road, Orange.

Seven people were injured, one seriously, in a two-car head-on collision at Moree in
northwest NSW today.

Three children were among those taken to Moree hospital with one victim, a 44-year-old
man, airlifted by helicopter in a very serious condition with multiple injuries.

A dramatic accident on Sydney's northern beaches saw four adults and a child taken
to hospital after their seaplane overturned as it attempted to land.

Paramedics were forced to use four-wheel drives to access the five with minor injuries
near Governor Philip Park after the seaplane upturned in the water at Palm Beach.

NSW Police traffic services commander Ron Sorrenson said the toll was much lower than
for the same time last year, when 11 people died in the first two days.

"But that doesn't mean we can relax yet," he said.

"The large number of people continuing to speed and drink-drive shows that motorists
are still taking risks."

There has been a 10 per cent leap in speeding offences, with 5,268 booked so far during
Operation Safe Arrival, while the 234 drink-driving charges issued so far is down 13 on
last year.

Recent offences include a 30-year-old man registering more than six times the legal
limit (0.32) following a ten car pile-up on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and a 21-year-old
man doubling the suburban 50kph speed limit while unlicensed.

There were 128 major crashes statewide yesterday - 115 less than on the same day last
year - while the 49 injured is 30 less than on the same day last year.

The annual road toll up to midnight last night is 518, 64 down on last year.

AAP dmc/jmd/de

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